The ED has attached assets under Prevention of Money Laundering Act as part of its probe into the alleged supply of adulterated ghee used in preparation of laddus at Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirumala. | Photo Credit: Representative photo
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Hyderabad Zonal Office, has provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth ₹129.85 crore belonging to dairy companies, their promoters and related entities in connection with the alleged supply of adulterated ghee to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
The ED, in a release on Wednesday, said the attachment was made under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, as part of its probe into the alleged supply of adulterated ghee used in the preparation of laddu prasadams at the Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirumala.
The assets belong to Bhole Baba Organic Dairymilk Private Limited; Sri Vyshnavi Dairy Specialities Private Limited, their promoters Vipin Jain and Pomil Jain and their family members; Sukriti Foods Private Limited, its promoter Kailash Chand Mangla and his family members, besides other related entities and individuals.
The investigation followed an FIR registered at Tirupati East Police Station alleging conspiracy, cheating, forgery and corruption. A chargesheet and a supplementary chargesheet, which were filed before the Special Judge for Special Police Establishment (SPE) and Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Cases in Nellore, reportedly detailed a conspiracy to supply adulterated ghee to TTD.
According to the ED, adulterated ghee worth ₹234.5 crore was supplied by Bhole Baba, directly and through other dairies allegedly used as fronts in tendering processes in return for commissions.
The agency alleged that the ghee was manufactured at the factories of Bhole Baba Organic Dairymilk Private Limited and Sukriti Foods by blending refined palm oil, palm kernel oil and palmolein with chemicals, including monoglycerides, acetic acid ester, lactic acid and beta-carotene. The products were allegedly invoiced as edible oils to conceal the transactions.
The companies allegedly recorded fictitious purchases of milk and ghee and sales of by-products such as skimmed milk. Palm oil used in manufacturing was shown as sold to bogus buyers.
Payments against fictitious purchases were allegedly routed back in cash through hawala channels to fund bogus buyers and pay commissions.
On June 3, 2026, the ED searched 16 premises across six States and regions, including Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Delhi, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. It seized or froze ₹2.7 crore in cash and bank balances and arrested Vipin Jain and Kailash Chand Mangla.
With the latest attachment, the total value of assets attached, seized or frozen in the case has gone up to ₹132.55 crore, the ED said.
Published - October 14, 2026 08:32 pm IST