Visakhapatnam: The Tirupati laddu has hit the headlines once again for the wrong reasons.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has now alleged that fake ghee comprising palm oil, palm kernel oil, palmolein and various chemicals was used in preparing the Tirupati laddu prasadam.
The agency has taken Sukriti Foods promoter Kailash Chand Mangla into custody in a money laundering case linked to the alleged adulteration case.
The ED, in a statement said that Mangla was taken into custody by its Hyderabad office on September 17 in connection with the TTD ghee adulteration case. He was later produced before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act court in Visakhapatnam, which sent him to judicial custody, the ED said.
The adulterated ghee allegedly used for Tirupati Laddu prasadam was manufactured using refined palm oil, palm kernel oil, palmolein and chemicals including MG-90, monoglycerides, Myvacet Soft 400 and acetic acid ester, the ED claimed, as reported by India Today.
According to the agency, the adulterated ghee was then supplied to the TTD as Agmark Special Grade Cow Ghee.
It has been further claimed that the fraudulent supplies of ghee to TTD between 2019 and 2024 were valued at Rs 230 crore, and that adulterated ghee worth Rs 96 crore was manufactured by Mangla. He was one of the co-conspirators in the case, facilitated the procurement of adulterants and manufactured adulterated ghee at his factory premises, the ED has alleged.
“He also coordinated the supply of adulterated ghee through various front entities, including Sri Vyshnavi Dairy Specialities, Malganga Milk & Agro Products and A.R. Dairy Foods,” the ED said. It further alleged that “Mangla created and maintained false records relating to the sale and purchase of ghee and refined palm oil, with the objective of concealing the actual utilisation of adulterants and creating an appearance of legitimate production and supply of genuine cow ghee,” the statement said.
Vipin Jain, promoter and director of Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Milk, had earlier been arrested by the ED on similar charges.
