ED arrests TTD Executive Engineer in 20-crore laddu ghee scam

Probe found 68-lakh kg adulterated ghee, 40% laddus flagged for additives

November 28, 2025

Temple official arrested in Tirupati laddu ghee adulteration probe

₹250-crore procurement trail, palm oil mix exposed across 20-crore laddus

The Enforcement Directorate arrested Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) Executive Engineer Subramanyam, a senior temple official, in a major breakthrough in the adulterated ghee scam linked to Srivari laddus. Officials said he was taken into custody in Tirupati on Wednesday and was later sent for medical examinations at Sri Venkateswara Ramnarain Ruia Government General Hospital in Tirupati.

Subramanyam had previously served as the General Manager of TTD Marketing. With his arrest, the total number of people detained in the case had climbed to 10. Investigators revealed that approximately 4 lakh laddus were prepared daily at Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, consuming 12,000–13,000 kg of ghee each day — nearly 12–13 tonnes.

The scandal had first surfaced after the Telugu Desam Party-led government assumed power in Andhra Pradesh. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had disclosed a sensational lab report that alleged the use of adulterated ghee in laddu preparation during the 2019–2024 period when the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) ruled the state.

A Special Investigative Team (SIT) had been constituted to probe the allegations. The SIT later revealed that nearly 20 crore laddus were made using adulterated ghee between 2019 and 2024. Records showed that out of 48.76 crore total laddus produced during the period, about 40% had contained palm oil, palm kernel oil, and chemical additives.

Investigators found that the TTD Board had paid nearly Rs 250 crore to multiple dairy suppliers during those years. The ghee had been sourced from firms including Bhole Baba Dairy (Uttarakhand), AR Dairy (Dindigul, Tamil Nadu), Vaishnavi Dairy (Punnabakalu, Tirupati district), and Malganga Dairies (Uttar Pradesh). Of the 1.61 crore kg of ghee that had been procured, 68 lakh kg was identified as adulterated.

The SIT had also questioned former TTD chairman and YSRCP MP YV Subba Reddy at his Hyderabad residence. His former personal assistant, Chinna Appanna, had already been arrested earlier in the investigation, officials confirmed.

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