20 crore Tirumala laddus made with adulterated ghee, Naidu tells Assembly

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu stated in the Legislative Assembly that nearly 20 crore Tirumala laddus were prepared using adulterated ghee during the previous regime, describing the episode as a “Mahapaapam” (great sin).

He said 20.01 crore laddus were allegedly made with compromised ingredients, deeply affecting the faith of devotees of Lord Sri Venkateswara. Citing the findings of a CBI-supervised Special Investigation Team (SIT), he noted that between 2019 and 2024, about 59.71 lakh litres of adulterated ghee was used, involving alleged irregularities worth Rs. 231.51 crore.

The Chief Minister further said that tender norms had been relaxed to favor certain firms. Requirements such as annual turnover, milk procurement capacity, production experience, and technical scrutiny were reduced or removed, enabling inexperienced suppliers to enter the system. Bribes were paid, laboratory reports were forged, and oversight mechanisms bypassed , he alleged. 

‘Assault on faith’

Stating that devotees had repeatedly complained about declining quality of prasadam, Mr. Naidu questioned whether such large-scale irregularities could have occurred without the knowledge of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Board. ‘’It is an assault on religious faith rather than a mere administrative lapse,’’ he said, adding reforms began only after the coalition government assumed office. ‘’Srivari laddu quality has been improved, ingredients procured with food safety certification, annadanam standards restored, and modern crowd management systems introduced,’’ he asserted.

Responding to allegations regarding Heritage Foods, Mr. Naidu clarified that the ‘’company has no government procurement contracts related to ghee’’ and denied any connection to the adulteration controversy.

Offenders must be punished: Pawan

Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan condemned the adulteration as a premeditated act to defile the prasadam. Citing the NDDB report, he noted the presence of animal fats, while the SIT reportedly found no real ghee, alleging it was manufactured with palm oil and chemicals. The SIT investigation found 6.8 million kilograms of adulterated ghee was used, producing nearly 20.10 crore defective laddus out of 48.76 crore sold between 2019 and 2024, affecting 11 crore devotees, he said, adding, “Those misusing temple funds or defiling offerings must face punishment.’’

Citing a verse   from Amuktamalyada, penned by Sri Krishnadevaraya, the Deputy Chief Minister warned that those entrusted with temple revenues must be principled and detached; otherwise, misappropriation of God’s wealth leads to ruin. Similar misconduct occurred under the previous government, he said. , Urging prompt action to prevent further sacrilege, he said, “When Hindu Dharma is attacked, if people do not condemn it openly beyond language, caste, and regional differences, such a trend will continue.”

Endowments Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy also highlighted the role of AR Dairy and affiliates in supplying adulterated ghee. Following complaints, a case was registered under charges of food adulteration, fraud, and conspiracy, and the SIT revealed forgery, destruction of records, and systemic corruption, demonstrating the need for strict oversight and accountability, he said.