Nellore: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has ruled out beef tallow or lard in the ghee used for Tirupati laddus from 2019-2024, exposing instead a massive synthetic ghee scam involving vegetable oils and chemical esters worth ₹250 crore, in its final chargesheet filed on January 23 before the Anti-Corruption Bureau court. According to reports, the 36 accused include nine Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) officials and dairy experts who allegedly approved adulterated supplies from Uttarakhand’s Bhole Baba Organic Dairy—a “virtual” unit producing no milk yet supplying 68 lakh kg of fake ghee.
Supreme Court-mandated probe, triggered by 2024 political uproar, found palm oil blends mimicking dairy tests like Reichert-Meissl values to fool TTD protocols. Key accused ex-GM RSSVR Subrahmanyam greenlit blacklisted vendors; post-2022 ban, supplies rerouted via proxies like Vyshnavi Dairy. FSSAI and NDDB labs confirmed low S-values (as 19.72 vs. 98-104 standard) from lab-made sludge, not animal fat—debunking claims in rejected tankers that were recycled.
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) seized on the findings on Friday, demanding chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu clarify his September 2024 accusation — echoed by deputy CM Pawan Kalyan — that YSRCP regimes desecrated laddus with “animal fat,” sparking nationwide outrage and lab tests. “Naidu must apologize for polarizing Hindus with baseless claims; CBI proves synthetic adulteration spanned regimes,” YSRCP MP Vijaysai Reddy posted, alleging TDP twisted science for elections. Party chief Jagan Mohan Reddy urged TTD reforms over politics.
TDP hit back, crediting Naidu’s expose for uncovering the scam: “Our lab alert flagged impurities; CBI validates action against corrupt suppliers.” Devotees and BJP leaders hailed closure on “beef” theory, focusing on purifications post-new TTD board. Critics, while pointing to lapses under both YSRCP (2019-2024) and TDP tenures enabled the fraud, called for stricter vendor audits amid annual 30 crore laddu production.
