VIJAYAWADA: In a major development in the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) ghee adulteration scandal, the findings of the One-Man Committee constituted by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu have come to light, exposing a deep-rooted nexus of administrative failures, procedural violations, and possible collusion that enabled the supply of adulterated ghee used in Srivari laddu prasadam.
The committee, headed by retired IAS officer Dinesh Kumar (1983 batch), was tasked with identifying those responsible for the scandal and examining lapses in the procurement system. Its report squarely fixes accountability on senior officials and the procurement machinery, holding them responsible for creating conditions that allowed adulterated ghee to enter the sacred supply chain.
The committee’s mandate was confined to governance and administrative responsibility, not criminal liability, as a police case had already been registered in Tirupati East Police Station (Crime No. 470/2024).
The report highlights how the eligibility criteria introduced in August 2019 were diluted within five months without justification, enabling non-compliant and unverified dairy firms to participate in ghee tenders. This relaxation opened the door for suppliers such as Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Milk Pvt Ltd, whose entry marked the beginning of a decline in quality standards.
Procurement was driven by unsustainable lowest-price (L1) bidding, with reductions up to Rs 207 per kg incentivising adulteration. In several cases, post-auction negotiations were permitted in violation of tender rules, further undermining transparency.
A critical CFTRI laboratory report dated August 3, 2022, confirmed adulteration with vegetable oils through the presence of β-Sitosterol. However, senior management suppressed the findings and failed to enforce Tender Condition No. 50, which mandated blacklisting of such firms. Instead, suppliers continued to receive orders, and procurement went on unchecked.
Plans to mandate FSSAI β-Sitosterol testing from July 2022 were reversed, resulting in the procurement of over 70 lakh kg of ghee without legally required checks. The report notes that consignments were accepted and used even before laboratory results were received, raising serious concerns about public health and the sanctity of temple offerings.
The TTD Food and Water Laboratory lacked equipment for real-time adulteration detection, with upgrades delayed nearly three years despite clear evidence of need.
Oversight was compromised by overlapping membership in evaluation and inspection committees, eliminating independent scrutiny.
Complaints and grievances were ignored, and revised tender conditions were not enforced properly, allowing undue favours to certain firms. The report holds the Board, Purchase Committee, and senior officers, including the EO, Special Officer/Additional EO, FA&CAO, GM Procurements, and ghee/dairy experts, responsible for these lapses.
Vendor-specific lapses were documented in detail. Bhole Baba Dairy, disqualified in June 2022, continued supplying adulterated ghee confirmed by CFTRI, using synthetic masking agents such as Beta-Carotene and artificial ghee flavours to bypass basic tests.
Despite disqualification, it received additional orders and routed supplies through proxy dairies, including Vyshnavi, Malganga and AR Dairy. Premier Agri Foods Pvt Ltd, the largest supplier, from which the TTD procured 58.31 lakh kg across 11 tenders, continued to receive fresh orders even after confirmed adulteration, and was granted an exemption from FSSAI norms post-adverse CFTRI findings.
Sri Vyshnavi Dairy Specialities Pvt Ltd fabricated butter production figures, inflating actual output nearly 2,000 times, and despite CFTRI’s confirmation of adulteration, was allowed to supply after violating the no-negotiation rule.
AR Dairy Food Pvt Ltd fabricated FSSAI returns and ISO certifications, inflating milk handling and butter production figures, while NDDB CALF lab tests in July 2024 confirmed adulteration with milk fat purity and acid profiles out of specification.
Alpha Milk Foods Pvt Ltd manipulated capacity figures within months, exploited video-conference inspections during Covid-19, and sought exemption from FSSAI norms alongside Premier Agri Foods.
The committee recommended sweeping reforms to restore credibility and safeguard temple sanctity. It recommended an amendment to the Act to remove special invitees and induct professionals into a new Management Committee.
Procurement must be overhauled with a qualified head, a digital procurement manual, and a shift from L1 to QCBS (Quality-cum-Cost-Based Selection).
Vendor empanelment and direct procurement from cooperatives such as Mother Dairy and Amul via NCDFI were suggested.
An independent Quality Control wing led by a Food Safety Officer, strict third-party testing, and upgraded labs to FSSAI standards were recommended, along with a dedicated Food Safety Compliance Cell. A Complaint Monitoring System with ticket IDs, escalation protocols, and public disclosure of test reports was also proposed to ensure transparency and accountability.
The report concludes that systemic negligence, procedural lapses, and deliberate protection of vendor interests undermined governance and quality assurance at the TTD. It stresses that urgent structural reforms are essential to restore credibility, safeguard public health, and uphold the sanctity of temple offerings.