Lord Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala | Photo credit: File photo
A special investigation team (SIT) probing the ghee adulteration case under the supervision of the CBI found that Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTDs) had been receiving supplies of adulterated ghee for over five years.
The arrest of Ajay Kumar Sugandh, in the case named as A-16, revealed disturbing details, including the use of chemicals such as monodiglycerides and acetic acid ester by Bhole Baba Dairy, which was contracted to supply ghee to TTD.
In its remand report submitted to the ACB court in Nellore, the SIT said the Bhagawanpur-based dairy in Uttarakhand managed to supply an estimated 68 million kilograms of ghee to the TTD between 2019 and 2024 — despite not procuring a single drop of milk or butter from any source in the country.
Investigation revealed that the promoters set up a shell unit only to supply fake ghee worth ₹250 crore to TTD during this period. The milk purchase and payment records created by the promoters of Bhole Baba Dairy were found to be fictitious as local cattle farmers confirmed that they never supplied milk to the company.
The promoters reportedly bought a defunct dairy nearby and procured palm oil and kernel oil under the name Harsh Fresh Dairy from a Delhi-based importer of Malaysian palm oil. Using these oils and other chemicals, the dairy was making fake ghee exclusively to supply TTD.
Investigators also found that manufacturers indiscriminately used acetic acid esters in the final product to manipulate the RM (Reichert-Meissl) value, a key parameter in adulteration tests performed by the TTD quality control team. Notably, Bhole Baba Dairy received ₹7 crore worth of acetic acid ester from Ajay Sugandh between 2022 and 2024.
Shockingly, even after being blacklisted by TTD in 2022, Bhole Baba Dairy continued to supply adulterated ghee by routing its supply through other dairies including Vyshnavi Dairy of Tirupati, Mal Ganga Dairy of Uttar Pradesh and AR Dairy Foods of Tamil Nadu.
Published – 9 Nov 2025 20:51 IST
