Tirupati laddu ghee adulteration case: SIT indicates tender norms were diluted, reports suppressed

Under the YSRCP regime, key eligibility criteria were allegedly diluted, including a reduction of the annual turnover requirement from Rs 250 crore to Rs 150 crore, lowering mandatory dairy experience from three years to one year, removal of the requirement to procure four lakh litres of milk per day, and reduction of milk fat extraction capacity from 12 tonnes to 8 tonnes per day.

The SIT has held senior TTD officials — financial adviser and chief accounts officer O Balaji, additional executive officer A V Dharmareddy and then executive officer Anil Kumar Singhal — responsible for allegedly approving and implementing these relaxations without due application of mind and in violation of established procurement safeguards.

The TTD Purchase Committee, in which C Bhaskar Reddy and B Karunakar Reddy, who was TTD chairman, participated as special invitees, recommended these relaxations, which were approved by the TTD Board in February 2020 during the YSRCP government, as per the SIT.

As a result, ineligible private dairies with inadequate experience and procurement capacity were allowed to secure TTD ghee tenders, while established cooperative dairies were pushed out of effective competition, the SIT letter said.

Following widespread complaints, ghee samples were sent to the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) on May 25, 2022. CFTRI confirmed adulteration in ghee supplied by Vyshnavi Dairy and Bhole Baba Dairy. Despite this laboratory confirmation, the SIT found that the reports were ignored and suppressed during the YSRCP regime, and that no action was taken against the suppliers or responsible officials, the SIT said.

The SIT concluded that the procurement of adulterated ghee compromised the quality of the laddu prasadam at the temple in Tirumala and severely hurt the sentiments and faith of crores of devotees of Lord Venkateswara. It said its investigation established that this was not an accidental lapse, but the outcome of deliberate administrative decisions, sustained negligence and misuse of authority during the previous government.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s office has issued a statement that, acting firmly on the SIT findings, the CM transferred former TTD EO Anil Kumar Singhal and initiated high-level action to ensure that all those involved are held accountable.

The current TDP government has reiterated that it is committed to a thorough, transparent and impartial investigation and to strict legal and disciplinary action against everyone responsible, irrespective of position or influence. Stringent tender norms, food safety standards and quality control mechanisms will be restored to protect the sanctity of Tirumala Srivari Prasadam and restore public trust, the statement said.