A ₹250-Crore Supply That Was Never Real
A dairy in Uttarakhand, Bhole Baba Organic Dairy, supplied 68 lakh kilos of ghee to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) between 2019 and 2024. The total value of these supplies stood at an astounding ₹250 crore. The ghee was used in preparing the temple’s iconic laddu prasad, consumed by millions of devotees each year.
The Shocking Truth: No Dairy, No Ghee
The CBI’s investigation has revealed that Bhole Baba Organic Dairy wasn’t even a dairy. Despite its name, it never procured milk, butter, or cream from any source. Instead, it allegedly supplied a chemical mix, not pure ghee completely undermining the sanctity and safety of the temple offerings.
Blacklisted but Still Winning Contracts
Even more alarming is that the company continued to win supply contracts even after being blacklisted in 2022. Investigators say this was made possible because the same operators used the names of other dairies to bypass restrictions and keep the scam alive.
Rejected Once, Repackaged, and Sent Back
In one instance, a consignment adulterated with animal fat was rejected by temple authorities. But instead of being destroyed or replaced, it was allegedly repackaged, relabelled, and resupplied the same product finding its way back into the system.
How Did It Go Unnoticed for Years?
From 2019 to 2024, the supply continued uninterrupted. Now, the CBI is probing how such a large-scale fraud was carried out under the watch of temple administration and regulatory authorities. The investigation is expected to dig deeper into possible collusion, document forgery, and lapses in quality checks.
Devotion Betrayed
For millions of devotees, the laddu prasad is sacred. This scandal exposes how religious trust was exploited for profit, turning a holy offering into a commercial scam.
