In a crucial development in the ongoing investigation into the adulterated ghee scam related to the Srivari laddus at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), investigators have arrested a temple official. The arrested man, TTD Executive Engineer Subramanyam, was taken into custody and later subjected to medical examinations at the Ruia Hospital in Tirupati.
Subramanyam previously served as the General Manager of TTD Marketing. With his arrest, the total number of arrests in the case has risen to 10. Every day, approximately 4 lakh laddus are prepared at the Sri Venkateswara Temple, requiring 12,000-13,000 kg of ghee daily.
READ: Rs 50 Lakh Money Trail Found In Adulterated Ghee In Tirupati Laddu Row
The allegations of using adulterated ghee in laddu preparation during the previous Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP)-ruled Andhra Pradesh government came to light after the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) came to power and Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu revealed the sensational lab report last year.
A Special Investigative Team (SIT) was constituted to investigate the adulteration. The SIT revealed that between 2019 and 2024, around 20 crore laddus were made using adulterated ghee.
Out of the total 48.76 crore laddus produced during this period, nearly 40% were found to contain palm oil, palm kernel oil, and other chemical additives.
During these years, the then TTD Board paid nearly Rs 250 crore to several dairy suppliers, including:
- Bhole Baba Dairy (Uttarakhand)
- AR Dairy (Dindigul, Tamil Nadu)
- Vaishnavi Dairy (Punnabakalu, Tirupati district)
- Malganga Dairies (Uttar Pradesh)
READ: Man Says He Found Cockroach In Andhra Temple 'Laddoo', Official Denies Claim
From these suppliers, TTD procured about 1.61 crore kg of ghee, out of which 68 lakh kg was identified as adulterated.
Recently, SIT officers questioned former TTD chairman and YSRCP MP YV Subba Reddy at his Hyderabad residence. His former personal assistant, Chinna Appanna, has already been arrested in the case.
