Panel Blames Ex-TTD Officials for Ghee Adulteration in Tirumala Laddu Prasadam

An investigation into the procurement of ghee for the sacred Tirumala laddu prasadam has revealed significant lapses, with a special committee holding former Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) officials primarily responsible for allowing adulterated ghee into the system. The findings, made public recently, point to a systemic failure in safeguarding the quality of ingredients used in the revered offering, impacting millions of devotees.

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Adulterated ghee was allowed into the system despite clear scientific evidence.

The single-member committee, headed by retired Andhra Pradesh chief secretary Dinesh Kumar, was formed by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Its report, submitted on April 30, identifies former executive officers AV Dharma Reddy and Anil Kumar Singhal, along with other officials and former elected representatives, as culpable for weakening safeguards. The committee's damning conclusion is that "adulterated ghee was allowed into the system despite clear scientific evidence."

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Despite this, the report was not acted upon, suppliers were not blacklisted, and procurement continued unchecked.

A critical piece of evidence cited is a Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) report from August 3, 2022, which detected ß-Sitosterol, a marker for vegetable oil adulteration, in all tested ghee samples. Astonishingly, despite this clear scientific warning, the TTD reportedly failed to act. Suppliers were not blacklisted, and procurement continued unabated. The report highlights that over 7 million kilograms of ghee were procured without mandatory testing, and consignments were used for preparing the laddu even before laboratory results were available, meaning adulterated ghee was consumed by devotees.

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It means adulterated ghee was consumed by lakhs of devotees.

The committee's report also points to flaws in the procurement framework itself, suggesting that the excessive focus on selecting the lowest bidder (L-1) created incentives for adulteration. Post-auction price reductions were permitted through informal channels, violating tender norms. The committee has recommended strict disciplinary action against all responsible officials, blacklisting of errant suppliers, and a complete overhaul of the procurement system, emphasizing the need for stronger quality-based evaluation mechanisms over a sole reliance on the lowest bid. This incident underscores the critical importance of robust oversight and adherence to quality standards in the management of religious institutions and their offerings.

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A complete overhaul of the procurement system, including elimination of over-reliance on L-1 bidding and introduction of stronger quality-based evaluation mechanisms, should be introduced.