Sun Feb 09 21:13:00 UTC 2025: **Four Arrested in Tirupati Laddu Adulteration Case**
TIRUPATI, Andhra Pradesh – Four individuals have been arrested by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special investigation team (SIT) in connection with the alleged adulteration of Tirupati laddus, the famed prasadam offered at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple. The arrests, announced late Sunday, follow an investigation launched last November on the orders of the Supreme Court.
Those arrested include Vipin Jain and Pomil Jain, former directors of Bhole Baba Dairy; Apoorva Chawda of Vaishnavi Dairy; and Raju Rajasekharan of AR Dairy. The SIT’s investigation revealed irregularities in the ghee supply chain, including allegations that Vaishnavi Dairy secured tenders under the guise of AR Dairy and falsified records to manipulate the tendering process. Further, Vaishnavi Dairy allegedly falsely claimed to source ghee from Bhole Baba Dairy, a claim the SIT found unsubstantiated.
The Supreme Court ordered the CBI investigation in October 2024 following petitions alleging the use of animal fat in the laddus. The allegations, initially made by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in September 2024, sparked a major political controversy, with Naidu claiming that the previous YSRCP government used substandard ingredients during its tenure. The five-member SIT comprises CBI officers, Andhra Pradesh Police officers, and a representative from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
First Piper 