Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav presents the state budget for 2025-26 in the state Legislative Assembly.
Credit: PTI photo
Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav on Saturday alleged that the previous YSRCP government treated the procurement of ghee for the TTD laddu as a commercial transaction, without having faith in Sri Venkateswara Swamy.
Addressing a press conference here, he said that the samples sent to the NDDB clearly stated that there was a possibility of the presence of animal fats, and that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had quoted the same report.
The minister further alleged that ghee samples sent to CFTRI in Mysuru clearly stated that the commodity was adulterated. But the previous Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government suppressed the report.
He further said the board appointed by the previous government altered the tendering condition for procurement of ghee paving way for smaller companies with lesser turnover.
Keshav said the Special Investigation Team, which had submitted its charge sheet, clearly stated that the ghee adulteration "fraud" was to the tune of Rs 240 crore.
He also alleged that the personal assistant of YV Subba Reddy, the then TTD chairman, received Rs 4 crore from dairy companies and that money was diverted to other accounts.