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ED attaches Rs 129.85-cr assets in Tirumala laddu ghee scam
In Short
Adulterated ghee worth Rs 234.5 crore allegedly supplied to TTD
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ED attaches Rs 129.85-cr assets in Tirumala laddu ghee scam
Hyderabad: In a major development in the Tirumala laddu ghee adulteration case, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Hyderabad Zonal Office, has attached movable and immovable assets worth Rs 129.85 crore belonging to Bhole Baba Organic Dairymilk Private Limited, Sri Vyshnavi Dairy Specialities Private Limited, their promoters Vipin Jain and Pomil Jain and their family members, Sukriti Foods Private Limited, its promoter Kailash Chand Mangla and his family members, and other related entities and individuals.
The ED found that adulterated ghee worth Rs 234.5 crore was supplied to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) by Bhole Baba, directly and through front dairies that participated in TTD tenders in their own names for a commission. However, the ghee was allegedly manufactured at the factories of Bhole Baba and Sukriti Foods.
The ghee was produced by blending refined palm oil, palm kernel oil and palmolein with chemicals such as monoglycerides, acetic acid ester, lactic acid and beta-carotene, and was invoiced as edible oils.
To conceal the transactions, the palm oil consumed in production was shown as sold to bogus buyers. Fictitious purchases of milk and ghee and sales of by-products such as skimmed milk were recorded to project the appearance of genuine dairy operations.
Payments made through banking channels for fictitious purchases were allegedly returned in cash through hawala channels. The cash was used to fund bogus palm-oil buyers, pay commissions to front dairies and make payments to other persons connected with the fraud. The ED initiated action based on an FIR registered at Tirupati East Police Station, alleging criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and corruption in the fraudulent supply of adulterated ghee to TTD.
The predicate agency filed a chargesheet and a supplementary chargesheet before the Special Judge for SPE and ACB Cases, Nellore, disclosing an alleged criminal conspiracy to supply adulterated ghee for preparing the sacred Lord Venkateswara laddu prasadam. The alleged fraud resulted in cheating TTD, endangering public health and generating substantial unlawful gains.
On June 3, 2026, the ED conducted searches at 16 premises across Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Delhi, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh linked to the principal conspirators, front dairies, chemical suppliers and accommodation-entry providers. The searches resulted in the seizure or freezing of cash and bank balances worth Rs 2.7 crore.
The ED has also arrested Vipin Jain and Kailash Chand Mangla, promoters and directors of Bhole Baba Organic Dairymilk Private Limited and Sukriti Foods Private Limited, respectively. They allegedly orchestrated the manufacture of adulterated ghee and its fraudulent supply to TTD. The total value of assets attached, seized or frozen in the case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), including action under Section 17, has reached Rs 132.55 crore so far.
