ED attaches Rs 129.85 crore assets in alleged TTD ghee adulteration laundering case
The ED has provisionally attached assets worth Rs 129.85 crore of dairy firms and their promoters in a PMLA probe into the alleged supply of adulterated ghee to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth Rs 129.85 crore in its money laundering probe into the alleged supply of adulterated ghee to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). The ED's Hyderabad Zonal Office announced the action on 14 October 2026.
What Happened
According to the ED, the attached assets belong to Bhole Baba Oroganic Dairymilk Pvt. Ltd., Sri Vyshnavi Dairy Specialities Pvt. Ltd., Sukriti Foods Pvt. Ltd., their promoters and others. The action was taken under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. A provisional attachment means the assets cannot be sold or transferred for now; it must be confirmed by the PMLA Adjudicating Authority.
The ED said its probe began from an FIR registered at Tirupati East Police Station alleging criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and corruption in the supply of ghee to TTD. The police agency has filed a chargesheet and a supplementary chargesheet before a special court in Nellore, the ED said.
The ED alleges that adulterated ghee worth Rs 234.5 crore was supplied to TTD by Bhole Baba, directly and through front dairies that bid for TTD tenders for a commission. According to the ED, the ghee was made by blending palm oil products with chemicals, and fictitious purchases and sales were recorded to make the business look genuine. The agency also alleges that payments for fictitious purchases were returned in cash through hawala channels.
The ED said it had searched 16 premises in six states on 3 June 2026 and seized or froze Rs 2.7 crore in cash and bank balances. It has arrested two promoters, and total attachments in the case now stand at Rs 132.55 crore, according to the agency. Further investigation is in progress.
These are allegations, not findings of guilt; the accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court, and due process continues.
What It Means
The case concerns ghee supplied to TTD for preparing its laddu prasadam, and the ED has said the alleged scheme endangered public health. Readers who want to raise a food-quality or consumer concern can use the National Consumer Helpline at 1915.
This report describes enforcement actions and allegations on the public record, attributed to the officials cited. An order, FIR or chargesheet is not a conviction; parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Sources & Citations
- Enforcement Directorate press release — Enforcement Directorate