Chiefs of Three Dairies Arrested in Tirupati Laddoo Adulteration Case

Four senior officials from three dairy companies have been arrested in connection with the Tirupati laddoo adulteration case, which caused a national controversy last year. The arrests followed an extensive investigation led by a special team appointed by the Supreme Court.

Those arrested include:

• Bipin Jain and Pomil Jain, former directors of Bhole Baba Dairy (Roorkee, Uttarakhand)
• Apoorva Vinay Kant Chawda, CEO of Vaishnavi Dairy (Poonambakkam, Tamil Nadu)
• Raju Rajasekharan, MD of AR Dairy (Dundigal, Telangana)

Investigators uncovered severe violations in the supply of ghee used for preparing the Tirupati laddoos, which are considered sacred and are distributed to devotees at the Tirumala temple.

Fraud in Ghee Supply

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) discovered that Vaishnavi Dairy manipulated tender documents and secured ghee supply contracts in the name of AR Dairy. Investigators found that:

• Vaishnavi Dairy falsified records to show they sourced ghee from Bhole Baba Dairy in Roorkee.
• Bhole Baba Dairy, however, lacked the capacity to supply such a large quantity of ghee.
• Fake documents and seals were used to pass off adulterated ghee as a high-quality product.

These fraudulent practices resulted in substandard and possibly harmful ghee being supplied for making the laddoos, leading to public outrage.

Investigation and Arrests

The Supreme Court had ordered a high-level probe after reports surfaced of contaminated ghee being used in the laddoos. The investigation found irregularities at every stage of the supply process.

Authorities identified and arrested the four individuals responsible for tampering with supply chains, forging documents, and misleading temple authorities. The arrested officials face charges of fraud, food adulteration, and criminal conspiracy.

Officials say further arrests may follow as the investigation continues.

Public Outrage and Temple Response

The Tirupati laddoo is one of the most revered prasad items in India, with millions of devotees receiving it as a blessing. News of adulteration in its preparation caused widespread anger among devotees and religious leaders.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the temple, assured devotees that strict quality control measures would be implemented to prevent future incidents.

Authorities have also ordered new testing procedures for ghee supplies and stricter monitoring of contracts awarded to dairies.

What’s Next?

The arrested officials will face legal proceedings, and investigators are looking into other possible violations in the food supply chain. The CBI has not ruled out further arrests and is expected to present a detailed charge sheet soon.

Meanwhile, the temple administration has urged devotees to remain calm and trust that necessary steps are being taken to restore faith in the laddoo distribution process.

This case highlights the importance of food safety regulations and ethical business practices, especially when it involves religious and public institutions.