TIRUPATI: The Supreme Court-appointed, CBI-led Special Investigation Team (SIT), which stated that the ghee supplied to the TTD between 2019 and 2024 was adulterated, produced two laboratory reports as part of its probe into the presence of animal fat. One report was from the National Dairy Development Board Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food (NDDB CALF), Anand in Gujarat, and the other from the ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (ICAR-NDRI), Karnal in Haryana.
After examining the NDDB CALF report, the SIT observed that the chances of the presence of tallow, lard and fish oil were very low, and concluded that the TTD ghee samples were primarily a mixture of palm oil and or palm stearin with palm kernel oil.
The ICAR-NDRI analysed the samples using a PCR-based method (Ref. No. NDRI/DC/VS/SOP-I) with a limit of detection of more than 10 per cent and did not detect lard in any of the four samples.
In its supplementary chargesheet, the SIT stated that the ghee supplied under the label of ‘Agmark Special Grade Cow Ghee’ was in fact a blend of refined palm oil, refined palm kernel oil and refined palmolein with a minimal quantity of ghee.
Fake, synthetic ghee supplied to TTD: SIT chargesheet
It contained chemicals such as beta-carotene, acetic acid ester, food-grade lactic acid, monoglyceride and ghee flavour to adjust laboratory values and maintain aroma. The SIT said nearly 68 lakh kg of adulterated ghee was supplied to the TTD between 2019 and 2024, particularly during 2021–24, without procuring milk, butter or cream.
The SIT stated that a large network of private dairy firms, chemical suppliers, middlemen and officials supplied fake and synthetic ghee to the TTD for the preparation of Srivari laddu and other prasadams sacred to crores of devotees. The value of the scam was estimated at over `234 crore.
According to the chargesheet, Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Milk Private Limited was identified as the main manufacturing unit where the adulterated ghee was prepared using refined palm oil and chemicals without proper milk, butter or cream.
The synthetic product was allegedly routed through multiple firms, including Sri Vyshnavi Dairy Specialities and AR Dairy Food Pvt Ltd, to enter the TTD supply chain.
Rejected tankers were allegedly relabelled and reintroduced for supply.
The SIT also flagged serious procedural failures and administrative lapses in the tender process. As per tender norms, the TTD was required to verify the authenticity of documents, EMD payments and certificates submitted by bidders before finalising agreements. However, the SIT alleged that the TTD failed to verify documents submitted by AR Dairy, enabling ineligible firms to secure contracts and facilitating the offences.
The key accused include Pomil Jain and Vipin Jain, Apoorva Chawda of Sri Vyshnavi Dairy, R Rajasekharan of AR Dairy, Ajay Kumar Sugandh, a chemical supplier, and several procurement officials, inspection committee members and public servants. The SIT found abuse of official position, suppression of laboratory reports, manipulation of tenders, bribery, forged documents and criminal conspiracy to sustain the fake ghee supply chain. The supplementary chargesheet was filed against accused A-16 to A-36 under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Prevention of Corruption Act.
These four sealed ghee samples drawn by TTD from four tankers of AR Dairy Food Private Limited on 06.07.2024 and 12.07.2024 at TTD Warehouse, Godown-IV, Tirumala.