The Tirupati laddu adulteration case has taken an unexpected turn with the Enforcement Directorate formally launching a money laundering investigation. On Tuesday, February 10, the ED registered an Enforcement Case Information Report under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, widening the scope of the probe far beyond food safety violations.
The central agency stepped in after examining the charge sheets filed by the CBI led Special Investigation Team. The SIT has already outlined how adulterated ghee was allegedly supplied for laddu preparation at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams. According to the investigation, private dairy firms and middlemen used hawala channels to pay bribes to certain officials in order to influence ghee tenders and quality approvals.
Investigators believe that mixtures of vegetable oils and chemicals were cleared and passed off as pure ghee. The SIT charge sheet, filed in a Nellore district court on January 23, 2026, names thirty six accused, including directors of dairy companies. It alleges that shell companies were used to route financial transactions worth nearly two hundred and fifty crore rupees.
Based on this material, the ED has now begun tracing the money trail. Officials have collected detailed records from the SIT, including FIRs, remand reports, charge sheets, and information related to hawala operators. The suspected network is spread across several cities such as Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Vijayawada, Gujarat, and Gwalior. The agency is trying to establish who received the money, how it was moved, and how it was eventually converted back into legitimate assets.
The SIT investigation had earlier gathered extensive data on ghee supplies to TTD. This included details of quantities, suppliers, and quality checks. Directors of Bhole Baba Organics, including Pomil Jain and Vipin Jain, are alleged to have routed payments through hawala agents using multiple dairy firms to conceal the transactions. The ED is now examining whether these funds were used only for bribery or also diverted into properties and other investments.
The case has also led to administrative action in Andhra Pradesh. The state government transferred a former TTD executive officer after the SIT report pointed to serious lapses. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu announced on February 5 that a one member committee would review the SIT findings in detail. He said the panel would identify failures and fix responsibility before further action is taken.
The alleged adulteration took place between 2019 and 2024, during the tenure of the YSR Congress Party government. Since the SIT findings became public, political reactions have intensified. However, with the ED now in the picture, the focus has clearly shifted from political debate to financial accountability.
The post Adulteration to Hawala Links: ED Enters Tirupati Laddu Case appeared first on Telugu360.
Adulteration to Hawala Links: ED Enters Tirupati Laddu Case
