CBI arrests four in connection with Tirupati laddu adulteration

The laddu adulteration scandal had become a political flash point in Andhra Pradesh, with the TDP lashing out at the previous Jagan Mohan Reddy government for “playing with the most pious of offerings in Tirupati”.

Written by Nikhila Henry

Hyderabad | Updated: February 10, 2025 08:02 AM IST

2 min read

CBI arrests four in connection with Tirupati laddu adulteration

Those arrested were Pomil Jain and Bipin Jain, former directors of Bhole Baba Dairy in Roorkee; Apoorva Vinay Kant Chawda, CEO of Vaishnavi Dairy, Poonambakkam; and Raju Rajasekharan, the MD of AR Dairy, Dundigal. (File Photo/Praveen Khanna)

The CBI has arrested four people in connection with the Tirupati laddu adulteration case.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government had claimed last year that Tirupati’s Lord Venkateswara Temple’s prasadam, which is offered to believers in the form of laddu, was adulterated with animal fat, creating a countrywide uproar. A five-member team, including two officers from the CBI, two from the Andhra Pradesh government and one from the Food Safety Standards Authority of India, has been probing the case.

According to sources in the Andhra Pradesh government, “the investigation has revealed serious violations in the ghee supply” to Tirupati during the previous YSRCP government’s tenure, which was between 2014 and 2019.

Explained | Tirupati laddu controversy: How India’s temples are run

Sources said, “Representatives of Vaishnavi Dairy secured tenders in the name of AR Dairy for ghee supply and fabricated documents to claim that the ghee was sourced from Bhole Baba Dairy in Roorkee. The CBI authorities have found that Bhole Baba Dairy did not have the capacity to supply huge quantities of ghee.”

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), which manages the temple, uses 15,000 litres of ghee for the preparation of laddus. AR Foods from Tamil Nadu secured a tender to supply the ghee at Rs 320 per kg. When eight tankers carrying the ghee arrived at TTD, four were sent to labs for testing adulteration.

“The ghee was sent for testing on July 8, 2024. On July 17, NDDB lab reports confirmed adulteration,” an official said.

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Nikhila Henry

Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice. Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India. Expertise & Focus Areas Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include: Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India. Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism. Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities. National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting. Authoritativeness & Trust A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society. Find all stories by Nikhila Henry here. ... Read More

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