- About 20.01 crore laddus were made for Tirupati temple with adulterated ghee between 2019 and 2024, Naidu said
- A syndicate involving officials and experts facilitated the adulteration, said Naidu
- The CBI filed a chargesheet recently, which has been submitted to the Supreme Court
Adulteration of laddus offered to Lord Venkateshwara at the Tirupati temple is not just about adulteration, it is a huge sin, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu told the state assembly today.
After a powerpoint presentation on the alleged Tirupati laddu adulteration case during the previous YSR Congress regime, Naidu said, "The people of the state have already expressed their concern".
"We must also remember the conspiratorial actions involved. I am not talking about a single laddu. Even during British rule, Lord Venkateshwara Swamy was not subjected to such things," he said.
"If we fail to act with concern now, we will be neglecting our responsibility. That is why there is a conspiracy angle here. A syndicate has been formed, and this has been proven to a large extent through forensic evidence," he added.
Read: Probe Team Flags Irregularities In Tirupati Laddoo Ghee Tenders, Seeks Action
The adulteration of 59.71 lakh kg of ghee has taken place, and Rs 234.51 crore has been spent on adulterated ghee, the Chief Minister said.
"Between 2019 and 2024, as many as 20.01 crore laddus were prepared using adulterated ghee. This happened with the cooperation of officials, experts, and a syndicate. Everyone got involved," he said.
"The laddu prasadam was defiled through organised crime, which would not have been possible without laboratories turning a blind eye during tenders," Naidu added.
He told the House that on January 23, the Central Bureau of Investigation reached the stage of filing a chargesheet, which has been submitted to the Supreme Court.
"We must now discuss how to take this forward with complete seriousness," he added.
Read: Rs 50 Lakh Money Trail Found In Adulterated Ghee In Tirupati Laddu Row
Allegations about the adulteration of laddus in Tirupati surfaced in September 2024 and provided Naidu and his Telugu Desam Party with a huge opportunity to target the opposition YSR Congress.
Recently, a Special Investigation Team appointed by the Supreme Court has found serious irregularities in the supply of ghee used for the laddu prasadam between 2019 and 2024.
Naidu's government has alleged that laboratory tests in August 2022 showed chemicals like beta-sitosterol in ghee samples, indicating the presence of impurity. But the report was ignored, and no corrective steps were taken until 2024, allowing irregular supplies to continue under the YSRCP rule, Naidu's party has alleged.
