ED begins money laundering probe in Tirupati laddu adulteration case, 36 named accused so far

Hyderabad: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has stepped into the Tirupati laddu adulteration case, registering an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) to probe allegations of large-scale money laundering linked to irregularities in ghee procurement for the iconic prasadam.

ED registers ECIR under PMLA

Sources said the Central agency has registered the ECIR under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against the accused named in the case.

The ED action follows chargesheets filed earlier by the CBI-led Special Investigation Team (SIT), which unearthed suspected financial irregularities connected to the supply of ghee to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).

Hawala transactions under scanner

Investigators are examining allegations that private dairy firms and intermediaries routed bribe payments through hawala channels to influence ghee tenders and quality clearances.

The ED will focus on tracing the money trail, identifying beneficiaries and establishing the role of hawala networks in the alleged scam.

Chargesheet names 36 accused

The SIT filed its chargesheet on January 23, in a court in Nellore district. It reportedly names 36 accused, including directors of dairy companies and intermediaries.

The probe alleges that shell companies were used to route transactions estimated to be worth around Rs 250 crore.

Alleged adulteration of Ghee

According to investigators, officials of the TTD were allegedly bribed to clear substandard supplies, allowing mixtures of vegetable oils and chemicals to be passed off as pure ghee for laddu preparation.

State Government orders administrative review

The ED move comes days after the Andhra Pradesh government announced a one-man committee to conduct a comprehensive review of the SIT’s report and recommend administrative action. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said on February 5 that the panel would identify lapses, fix responsibility and pave the way for action based on its findings.

Political row over SIT findings

The alleged adulteration is said to have occurred between 2019 and 2024, when the YSR Congress Party was in power. After the SIT filed its chargesheet, the party claimed it had been given a clean chit, arguing that the report ruled out the use of animal fat in ghee.

Rejecting the claim, CM Naidu maintained that no report had exonerated the YSRCP.

Calling the issue a grave offence against devotees’ faith, he alleged that even bathroom-cleaning chemicals were used in adulterated ghee meant for laddus.

ED probe to deepen

With the ECIR now registered, the ED is expected to widen the probe by examining financial records, shell entities and cross-border money movements, even as political and administrative scrutiny over the issue continues to intensify.