CBI Investigation Reveals No Animal Fat in Tirupati Laddu Prasadam
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed its final chargesheet in the high-profile Tirupati laddu adulteration case, delivering a significant finding: no beef tallow or lard was detected in the ghee used to prepare the sacred prasadam between 2019 and 2024. This conclusion directly counters earlier allegations made by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and his deputy Pawan Kalyan in 2024, who had claimed the laddu contained "animal fat."
Details of the CBI Chargesheet and Synthetic Adulteration
The chargesheet, submitted on January 23 before the Anti-Corruption Bureau court in Nellore, outlines a sophisticated scheme of adulteration. Instead of animal products, investigators found that the ghee was adulterated with vegetable oils and laboratory esters designed to chemically mimic dairy parameters. The primary supplier, Bhole Baba Organic Dairy based in Bhagwanpur, Uttarakhand, operated what the CBI termed a "virtual" manufacturing unit.
Key findings from the probe include:
- The dairy procured no milk or butter at its facility during the relevant period yet supplied approximately 68 kilograms of ghee to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
- This synthetically manufactured ghee, valued at around Rs 250 crore, was created without using any milk.
- The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) analysis identified a method to bypass TTD's quality control, which relied on Reichert-Meissl (RM) values.
How the Adulteration Scheme Worked
To deceive the temple's testing protocols, the syndicate used a base of palm oil, palm kernel oil, and palmolein sourced from Budge Budge Co. Ltd. in Kolkata. Acetic Acid Esters, supplied by Delhi-based trader Ajay Kumar Sugandh, were added to artificially spike the RM value, creating a false positive for pure ghee in standard lab tests.
Additionally, the adulterated mixture included:
- Beta Carotene to replicate the golden-yellow colour of authentic cow ghee.
- Artificial flavouring to mimic the aroma of traditional "danedar" (granular) ghee.
The chargesheet explicitly states that deviations in "S-value" parameters, cited by Naidu in 2024, were caused by these vegetable oils and chemical esters, not by animal tissue.
Individuals Implicated and Political Fallout
The CBI has named 36 individuals in a conspiracy to supply adulterated ghee. Key accused include:
- RSSVR Subrahmanyam, former General Manager (Procurement) at TTD, accused of approving tenders from a blacklisted entity.
- Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy, an external dairy expert who allegedly provided favourable inspection reports.
- Chinna Appanna, a former aide to the TTD Chairman, and directors of Bhole Baba Dairy, Pomil and Vipin Jain.
After Bhole Baba was blacklisted in 2022, the investigation alleges that the Jains routed the same synthetic ghee through Vyshnavi Dairy (Tirupati) and AR Dairy (Tamil Nadu) to circumvent procurement restrictions.
Following the CBI revelations, the Opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), which was in power in Andhra Pradesh during the adulteration period, has demanded an apology from Naidu and Pawan Kalyan. YSRCP Rajya Sabha member YV Subba Reddy stated in a Delhi press conference that Tirumala is a spiritual centre, not a political platform, and criticized the leaders for introducing politics into the matter.
The case, which began with a Supreme Court intervention in October 2024 leading to a CBI special investigation team, highlights broader issues of quality control in religious institutions and the intersection of faith, politics, and public trust in India.
