CBI Chargesheet Says No Beef Tallow Or Lard In Tirupati Laddoos; YSRCP Demands CM Naidu's Apology

Last Updated:January 30, 2026, 17:36 IST

The chargesheet was submitted on January 23 before the Anti-Corruption Bureau court in Nellore, bringing clarity to allegations regarding Tirupati laddoos.

CBI filed its chargesheet in the case on January 23 | File Image

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in its final chargesheet in the Tirupati Laddoo adulteration case, has concluded that no beef tallow or lard was used in the ghee supplied for the preparation of the sacred Laddoo prasadam between 2019 and 2024.

The chargesheet was submitted on January 23 before the Anti-Corruption Bureau court in Nellore, bringing clarity to allegations that had triggered widespread political and public debate.

The controversy erupted in 2024 when Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan claimed that the laddoos offered at the Tirumala Venkateswara temple had been adulterated with “animal fat".

Following petitions and mounting concerns, the Supreme Court intervened in October 2024, leading to the formation of a CBI Special Investigation Team to probe the matter.

According to the chargesheet, while the ghee used in laddu preparation was indeed adulterated, the contamination did not involve animal-derived substances.

Instead, investigators found that vegetable oils and chemical esters were used to simulate the physical and chemical properties of pure dairy ghee, enabling the adulterated product to pass routine quality checks.

The CBI identified Bhole Baba Organic Dairy, based in Bhagwanpur, Uttarakhand, as the primary supplier.

The investigation revealed that the firm functioned as a “virtual" manufacturing unit, with no procurement of milk or butter at its facility during the period under scrutiny.

Despite this, it supplied at least 68 kilograms of synthetically produced ghee to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). The total value of the adulterated ghee supplied was estimated at around ₹250 crore.

Chemical analysis conducted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) exposed how the syndicate manipulated standard testing protocols.

The adulterated ghee was made using a blend of palm oil, palm kernel oil, and palmolein sourced from a Kolkata-based company. To deceive laboratory tests that rely on Reichert-Meissl (RM) values—a key indicator of ghee purity—acetic acid esters were added to artificially inflate the readings.

The chargesheet further details that beta carotene was used to recreate the characteristic colour of cow ghee, while synthetic flavouring agents mimicked its aroma and granular texture.

Investigators clarified that deviations in the “S-value", which had earlier been cited as evidence of animal fat usage, were the result of vegetable oils and chemical additives, not animal tissue.

The CBI has named 36 accused in what it describes as a coordinated conspiracy to supply adulterated ghee to TTD.

Among those charged are RSSVR Subrahmanyam, former General Manager (Procurement) at TTD, accused of clearing tenders from a blacklisted supplier, and Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy, a private dairy consultant alleged to have submitted misleading inspection reports.

The directors of Bhole Baba Organic Dairy, Pomil and Vipin Jain, along with other intermediaries, have also been implicated. The probe alleges that after the firm was blacklisted in 2022, the accused routed the same synthetic ghee through alternate dairies in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to bypass restrictions.

Following the findings, the opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has demanded an apology from Chief Minister Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan.

YSRCP Rajya Sabha member YV Subba Reddy said the earlier claims amounted to “false propaganda" and accused the ruling leaders of politicising a sacred religious institution.

He said Tirumala was a spiritual centre for millions of devotees and should not be dragged into political controversy.

News india CBI Chargesheet Says No Beef Tallow Or Lard In Tirupati Laddoos; YSRCP Demands CM Naidu's Apology

Read More