'Fake ghee' scam: How 68L kg synthetic ghee reached Tirupati
Between 2019 and 2025, Bhole Baba Organic Dairy sent a massive 68 lakh kg of fake ghee—worth ₹250 crore—to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), even though they never bought any milk or butter.
Instead, they mixed in palm and palm-kernel oil, industrial chemicals (such as acetic acid ester), and alleged animal fat to trick purity tests.
This synthetic ghee ended up in the famous temple laddus. Lab tests confirmed adulteration in several shipments in mid-2025.
How the scam unfolded and where things stand
The scandal came to light after Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu accused the previous government of using animal fat in laddus in 2025. Soon after, a special team was set up and later a CBI probe began on Supreme Court orders.
Key arrests include Apoorva Vinay Kant Chawda (Vaishnavi Dairy CEO) for supplying through proxies and Chinna Appanna for allegedly rigging tenders.
Even after being blacklisted, Bhole Baba kept supplying fake ghee using front companies like Vyshnavi and AR Dairy.
The case is ongoing with a chargesheet expected soon.