Tirupati Temple Scandal: Former Board Chief Questioned in Rs 250 Crore Adulterated Ghee Investigation

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has revealed that adulterated ghee was utilized for approximately five years in the preparation of prasadam at the renowned Tirumala temple.

On Tuesday, the probe agency interrogated A.V. Dharma Reddy, the former Executive Officer (EO) of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), regarding the alleged Tirumala ghee adulteration scandal.

Reddy appeared at the SIT office in Tirupati for a comprehensive investigation into the matter.

The Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team discovered that adulterated ghee was allegedly used in making the sacred Tirupati Laddu prasadam at Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh.

According to the investigation, TTD received approximately 68 lakh kilograms of counterfeit ghee, estimated at about Rs 250 crore, during a five-year period spanning from 2019 to 2024.

The investigation, documented in a remand report submitted to the Nellore ACB court, uncovered that the primary supplier—an Uttarakhand-based dairy—had managed to deliver this enormous quantity of ghee without actually procuring any milk or butter.

The "ghee" was reportedly manufactured using palm oil, palm kernel oil, and industrial chemicals including acetic acid ester to manipulate purity tests (Reichert–Meissl value) and circumvent TTD's quality control measures.

It has been alleged that extensive adulteration occurred during the former EO's tenure, and the SIT is questioning him about contract approvals, procurement procedures, and oversight mechanisms.

The interrogation of the former EO represents a new stage in the investigation, following the recent arrest of Chinna Appanna, a close associate and former personal assistant to former TTD Chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy. Appanna allegedly played a key role in securing contracts for unqualified dairies and manipulating tender processes.

The SIT is also expected to issue notices to former TTD Chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy for questioning regarding the case. The agency aims to identify the complete chain of command responsible for the procurement and quality control failures that allegedly compromised the sanctity of the widely venerated prasadam.