Tirupati: Laddoo Ghee Fraud Crackdown Deepens as TTD Eyes Karnataka Property Dispute

Tirupati's Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) remained at the centre of two major institutional stories this week. The Enforcement Directorate escalated its probe into the adulterated ghee supplied for the iconic Tirupati laddoo prasadam, attaching properties and financial assets worth Rs 129.85 crore and alleging an extensive hawala network linking the suppliers. The total amount now attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act stands at Rs 132.55 crore. In a separate governance matter, TTD's Executive Officer has formally requested Karnataka's clarification on a Memorandum of Understanding concerning a Tirumala-linked property held in that state.

ED Attaches Rs 129.85 Crore in Tirupati Adulterated Ghee Money-Laundering Probe

The Enforcement Directorate has attached assets worth Rs 129.85 crore in connection with its money-laundering investigation into the supply of adulterated ghee to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, bringing total attachments, seizures, and freezes under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act to Rs 132.55 crore. The case stems from the discovery that ghee used in the preparation of Tirupati's sacred laddoo prasadam — one of the most revered pilgrim offerings in Hinduism — had been adulterated with animal fats and inferior oils. The Enforcement Directorate's probe has widened beyond initial adulteration charges to target the financial channels through which suspect suppliers operated. The agency has alleged that companies involved in the ghee supply made use of hawala transactions to route proceeds and obscure asset ownership. The attachment marks a significant escalation in a case that has attracted national attention over procurement oversight failures at one of India's wealthiest and most spiritually significant religious trusts. Multiple arrested accused have had their properties provisionally attached as the investigation continues. [2]

TTD Seeks Formal Clarification from Karnataka on Tirumala Temple Property Transfer

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams has formally sought clarification from Karnataka authorities regarding a property linked to the Tirumala hill estate. TTD's Executive Officer has written to the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation seeking details of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Karnataka's Endowments Department and the KSTDC concerning a property whose jurisdiction intersects with TTD's holdings. The request signals potential ambiguity over religious endowment assets spread across state borders, a not uncommon situation for large pan-regional temple trusts that manage facilities in multiple states. TTD oversees an extensive portfolio of pilgrim accommodation, land, and subsidiary temples across India, and cross-state property disputes periodically require intergovernmental coordination to resolve. The EO's move is being read as a standard due-diligence step, though it underscores the complex legal and administrative landscape within which TTD operates, particularly as the trust undergoes governance reforms under the current Andhra Pradesh administration. Karnataka authorities are yet to provide a formal response. [5]

Sources: [2] The New Indian Express · [5] The New Indian Express