Tirumala laddu row | Probe reveals Rs 234 cr vegetable oil fraud, with minimal animal fats, no cow ghee at all

Hyderabad: A CBI-led Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the alleged adulteration of cow ghee used for Tirumala's revered Laddu prasadam has exposed it as a "vegetable oil" fraud. Lab reports indicated rare chances of animal fats like tallow, lard, or fish oil.

The 223-page supplementary and final chargesheet, filed on January 22 before the Special Judge for ACB Cases in Nellore, seen by DH accused 36 individuals and firms of a Rs 234 crore conspiracy from 2019 to 2024. Key accused Pomil Jain and Vipin Jain of Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Milk Pvt Ltd in Bhagwanpur, Uttar Pradesh, allegedly orchestrated fake Agmark cow ghee production. They routed supplies through proxies like Sri Vyshnavi Dairy in Tirupati, Malganga Milk of Maharashtra, and AR Dairy of Dindigul, Tamil Nadu.

These entities supplied 59.7 lakh kg of adulterated ghee directly and indirectly, inflicting a Rs 234.51 crore loss on Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). TTD procurement officials and plant inspection experts allegedly colluded, issuing favorable reports for ineligible firms in exchange for bribes like silver items, mobiles, and cash. Fake FSSAI records inflated production and milk procurement figures.

Supplies included 9.9 lakh kg from Bhole Baba, 33 lakh kg from Vyshnavi, 15.8 lakh kg from Malganga, and 0.68 lakh kg from AR Dairy. Hawala bribes, forged documents, and suppressed tests facilitated the scam.

The chargesheet revealed the ghee was produced without cow milk or butter, using 5.2 lakh kg refined palm oil, 2 lakh kg palm kernel oil, and 2.5 lakh kg palmolien from Harsh Trading and Fresh Dairy Foodz. Chemicals like beta-carotene, acetic acid ester, lactic acid, monoglycerides, and ghee flavor mimicked aroma and lab values. A forensic audit confirmed no real milk processing, with fake sales invoices concealing vegetable fats. Total fake ghee produced was 68 lakh kg.

Fish & animal fats analysis

During the probe, the SIT consulted the National Dairy Development Board’s Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food (NDDB CALF), Anand, Gujarat, for raw data analysis and tests on remaining ghee samples from four tankers of M/s AR Dairy Food Pvt Ltd, drawn by TTD on July 6 and 12, 2024 (two each). NDDB CALF’s report, dated March 27, 2025, provided these findings.

“In fatty acid analysis of Ghee samples received from TTD, presence of Eicosapentaenoicacid (C20:5 n-3) and Docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6, n-3) were found below the limit of quantification in all the four samples. This suggests that the chances for presence of Fish oil in the Ghee samples of TTD appears very rare. In all the four Ghee samples of TTD B-sitosterol was detected. However, Cholesterol was not detected in analysis of two available samples of TTD. The results suggest that the samples of Ghee from TTD mainly contains Vegetable oils and/or fats of plant origin and possibility for presence of fat from Animal origin (Ghee, Tallow, Lard or Fish oil) appears very less,” said the SIT's latest charge sheet citing NDDB CALF's last year's March report.

The NDDB concluded that since the level of Butyric acid is below the limit of quantification and Cholesterol is not detected in the samples of Ghee from TTD, it is concluded that quantity of Ghee in these samples is very less. “The absence of Cholesterol in the samples also suggests that the chances for presence of Tallow, Lard and Fish oil are very low. Appearance of two unusual peaks in GC chromatograms of triglycerides from Ghee samples of TTD indicates mixing of some compounds to adjust the RM for complying FSSAI specification. Further, based on the Fatty acid profile and presence of beta sitosterol in Ghee samples from TTD, it is concluded that these samples are primarily a mixture of Palm oil and/or Palm stearin with Palm kernel oil,” said the NDDB's report.”

Additionally, four sealed samples from AR Dairy tankers at TTD’s Godown-IV, Tirumala, were sent to ICAR-NDRI, Karnal, Haryana, for lard and animal fat tests. NDRI’s May 16, 2025, report, using PCR-based methods (LOD: >10%), found no lard in any sample.

Collusion and Bribes

Plant inspection committee members (A-28 to A-36) allegedly skipped proper checks, abused their positions, and submitted favorable reports despite knowing the firm's failed tender criteria. This fraudulently misled TTD, causing losses and gains for the dairies.

The SIT filed its first chargesheet on May 7, 2025. The team—two CBI officers, two from Andhra Pradesh Police, and one from FSSAI—operated under Supreme Court orders and CBI Director supervision.

Role of YV Subba Reddy's PA Chinna Appanna

Kaduru Chinnappanna (A-24), PA to then TTD Chairman YV Subba Reddy, abused his role in ghee tenders. According to the chargesheet he demanded Rs 25 per kg commission from Pomil Jain. When unpaid, he influenced GM (Procurement) RSSVR Subramanyam to disqualify Bhole Baba during inspection. This awarded a 35% share of a 24.5 lakh kg tender to M/s Premier Agri Foods Pvt Ltd, Bareilly, at Rs 467.86/kg—a 42% hike. Chinnappanna then took Rs 50 lakh cash from Premier’s MD, Jagmohan Gupta.