CBI-SIT Probe Shows No Milk Used in Making Ghee for Tirumala Prasadam: Deputy CM

 Vijayawada: In a sensational disclosure in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly, Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan on Tuesday said the CBI-led special investigation team has concluded that no milk was used in the making of ghee for TTD’s sacred laddu prasadam in Tirumala.

Quoting the findings of the SIT, the Deputy Chief Minister said the ghee was found to have been produced using palm oil and some chemicals --instead of from milk fat.

However, the investigation team informed the government that it currently lacks the knowhow to scientifically establish the precise chemical composition and origin of the substances used.

Describing the episode as a “planned conspiracy” aimed at defiling the sacred prasadam of Lord Venkateswara, Pawan Kalyan said the SIT has identified 36 accused persons. The charge sheet, he noted, details how tender conditions were allegedly diluted in a calculated manner to favour select firms.

Pawan Kalyan alleged that key eligibility norms were systematically relaxed. For instance, the contracting firm’s minimum annual turnover requirement was reduced from Rs 250 crore to Rs 150 crore; the mandatory procurement of four lakh litres of milk per day for the purpose was removed; dairy industry experience was lowered from three years to one; and the daily production capacity requirement cut from 12 tonnes of butter or ghee to eight tonnes.

Highlighting the gravity of the issue, the Deputy CM said that between 2019 and 2024, nearly 1.1 billion devotees visited Tirumala, and about 480 million laddu prasadam units were sold. Of these, nearly 200 million laddus were allegedly prepared using the so-called fake ghee, as per TTD records cited in the house.

The revelations have triggered sharp political reactions, with the government asserting that stringent action would follow.