Speaking in the Assembly, the Deputy Chief Minister said the investigation determined that the ghee supplied to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams was manufactured using palm oil and chemicals rather than milk.
A CBI-led Special Investigation Team (SIT) has conclusively found that no milk was used in the manufacture of ghee supplied for the preparation of Tirumala prasadam laddus, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan told the state Legislative Assembly, triggering sharp political exchanges and renewed scrutiny over one of the country’s most revered temple prasadams.
Speaking in the House, Pawan Kalyan said the investigation determined that the ghee supplied to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) was manufactured using palm oil and chemicals rather than milk.
“The SIT has conclusively found that no milk was used in the manufacture of the ghee supplied for Tirumala laddu preparation,” he said, adding that while adulterants were identified, the team could not conclusively determine the exact chemical composition or origin of the substances used.
According to him, the inquiry identified 36 accused and pointed to a deliberate conspiracy to defile the prasadam offered to Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala.
He alleged that tender conditions for ghee supply contracts were altered to favour specific companies.
Eligibility norms were allegedly relaxed, allowing firms with lower turnover, limited dairy experience and reduced production capacity to qualify.
The companies that won contracts between 2020 and 2023, including Bhole Baba and its associates, reportedly did not supply ghee made from milk.
Citing official records in the Assembly, Pawan Kalyan said that out of 480 million laddu prasadams sold between 2019 and 2024, around 200 million were allegedly prepared using adulterated ghee.
IT’S A MAHAPAPAM: CHANDRABABU NAIDU
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, meanwhile, termed the episode a “Mahapapam, not just about one laddu; an organised conspiracy,” and launched a scathing attack on the previous government led by Jagan Mohan Reddy.
“The people of the state have already expressed their concern. We must also remember the conspiratorial actions involved. Even during British rule, Lord Venkateswara Swamy was not subjected to such things. If we fail to act with concern now, we will be neglecting our responsibility,” Naidu said.
“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”.
Describing the alleged scale of the adulteration, he said, “Adulteration of 59.71 lakh kg of ghee has taken place, and Rs 234.51 crore has been spent on adulterated ghee. 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. The laddu prasadam was defiled through organised crime, which would not have been possible without laboratories turning a blind eye during tenders.”
Naidu informed lawmakers that the CBI had reached the stage of filing a chargesheet on January 23, 2026, which was submitted to the Supreme Court of India the following day.
