Massive Rs. 250 crore fake ghee racket uncovered; adulterated ghee used in Tirupati temple prasadam

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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has uncovered a massive scam involving Bhole Baba Organic Dairy, which supplied about 68 lakh kilograms of fake ghee worth Rs. 250 crore to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) between 2019 and 2024. Investigators revealed that the dairy “never procured a drop of milk or butter” but created false procurement and payment records to show large-scale production.

Chemically Treated Ghee Linked to Tirupati Laddoo


According to the special investigation team (SIT), the ghee used in preparing Tirupati’s sacred laddoo prasadam was adulterated with synthetic materials. The breakthrough came after the arrest of supplier Ajay Kumar Sugandh, who provided chemicals like monodiglycerides and acetic acid ester to the dairy. “The adulterated ghee was manufactured using animal fat and other industrial chemicals,” the report stated, linking it directly to the temple’s offerings.

Blacklisted Firm Continued Under Different Names


Despite being blacklisted by the TTD in 2022, Bhole Baba Organic Dairy reportedly continued its operations through other front companies. The CBI report indicates that the owners, Pomil Jain and Vipin Jain, funneled the adulterated ghee through various dairies, for instance, Vyshnavi Dairy in Tirupati, Mal Ganga Dairy in Uttar Pradesh, and AR Dairy Foods in Tamil Nadu.

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Rejected ghee re-entered the supply chain


The most disturbing revelation was that TTD had, in July 2024, already rejected four containers of ghee mixed with animal fat, and the same ghee was again let into the system. “The rejected ghee stocks were supplied back to the Tirupati trust by Bhole Baba promoters through Vyshnavi Dairy,” the remand report noted. Investigators found that the tankers never returned to the AR Dairy facility but were instead diverted and relabelled before being dispatched again.

Investigation Points to Deeper Procurement Lapses


The inspection and quality control during procurement were acknowledged as lapses by the officials of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The SIT report brings out the ‘forged records, manipulated e-way bills, and fake tender documents’ that facilitated the unbroken supply of adulterated ghee. The authorities are now urging stricter monitoring and more rigorous testing of all the raw materials that go into the preparation of offerings for temples.

Conclusion - Why This Case Matters Now



The Tirupati adulterated laddoo case reveals a large area of darkness in the transparency of procurement and the safety of religious food. The experts caution that only through the introduction of real-time quality verification, independent audits, and stricter supplier vetting can the issue be solved and similar scandals never occur again. 

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The manipulation of money is not the only aspect of the case; it strikes at the heart of public trust in temple offerings - a sacred symbol of faith for millions of devotees.