Tirupati, Jan 30 (TNT) : Dismissing claims of a “clean chit” as politically motivated misinformation, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Chairman B.R. Naidu on Friday evening asserted that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) charge sheet had conclusively established the use of adulterated ghee in the preparation of Srivari Laddus.
He said that the final charge sheet filed in court by SIT Team led by the Central Bureau of Investigation has clearly indicted the erstwhile trust board for malpractices in the ghee procurement process
The TTD Chief also urged the SIT to probe alleged financial transactions involving crores of rupees credited to select bank accounts, to uncover possible benami networks and identify the political beneficiaries behind them.
Addressing the media at Sri Padmavathi Rest House here, Naidu accused certain vested political interests of deliberately attempting to mislead devotees and shield those responsible for what he termed a grave desecration of Tirumala’s sanctity.
He said the narrative of “no adulteration” was being pushed to divert attention from serious violations recorded in the SIT findings.
Naidu alleged that the ghee procurement tender process was systematically manipulated during the previous regime, with tender conditions altered to favour select entities for commission-driven gains.
Firms without basic infrastructure, production capacity, or even ownership of cattle were allegedly awarded contracts, he said.
Citing the NDDB laboratory report, the Chairman stated that animal fat was detected in ghee samples and revealed that nearly 60 lakh kilograms of adulterated ghee, worth approximately ₹250 crore, had been procured.
He further claimed that hazardous chemicals were used in the manufacturing process, posing serious health and ethical concerns.
According to the Chairman, close to 20 crore laddus were prepared using the adulterated ghee, calling it one of the most serious assaults on religious institutions in recent times. He alleged that certain dairies were chosen solely for financial kickbacks and political patronage.
The TTD Chairman said there had been sustained attempts over the past five years to undermine Hindu faith and institutions, and demanded an unconditional apology from those who trivialised the issue for political convenience.
Rejecting claims of a clean chit as “factually false and politically motivated,” he demanded micro DNA testing of ghee samples to conclusively establish their origin and quality.
Naidu asserted that the scandal came to light only after the present coalition government assumed office and reiterated that there would be no compromise on transparency, accountability, or the sanctity of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.
TTD Board members Bhanu Prakash Reddy, Panabaka Lakshmi, Naresh Kumar, Dollar Diwakar Reddy and Sri Darshan were present at the press conference.
TNT LE
Leave a Reply