AR Dairy Private Limited, near Dindigul, Tamil Nadu. Stock photo | Photo Credit: G. Karthikeyan

A special team of 11 police officers, including some from Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, conducted a probe at a private dairy unit in Dindigul in connection with Tirumala laddu case on Saturday (November 23, 2024).

Following a complaint from Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) that ghee supplied by AR Dairy in Dindigul allegedly contained animal fat, the Tirupati police had registered a case against the unit about two months ago.

Police sources in Dindigul district said the special team investigating the case reached the premises of the unit around 11 am on Saturday and inquired with the employees about the manufacturing process and procurement of materials for preparation of ghee and other products.

Two months ago, the employees of AR Dairy Private Limited claimed they had supplied ghee to TTD according to standards and refused to supply counterfeit products. After July, the contract was canceled for reasons unknown to them, they told the media.

Meanwhile, TTD claimed that it had procured ghee to prepare laddu prasadam from a panel of approved suppliers. The TTD authorities subsequently stated that the samples in question had been sent to a laboratory in Mumbai to check for adulteration. Further investigation is ongoing.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on September 18 alleged that the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government had used substandard ingredients and animal fat in Tirupati laddus. Mr Naidu subsequently announced a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into these allegations.