ED has booked the promoter of Sukriti Foods firm Kailash Chand Mangla in connection with the alleged adulteration of ghee provided for the production of Tirupati Laddu prasadam. This has created a fresh twist in the current probe into the quality of ghee supplied for Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD).
ED arrests promoter of Sukriti Foods
As per the ED, Kailash Chand Mangla was arrested on September 17 in connection with a money laundering probe related to the alleged adulteration of ghee supplied to TTD. Subsequently, he was placed in judicial custody. The probe concerns with the alleged supply of adulterated ghee supplied to TTD from 2019 to 2024. The ED has claimed that supplies worth ₹230 crore were made in this period.
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Claims of usage of palm oil in ghee
The ED has alleged that the ghee supplied to TTD as Agmark Special Grade Cow Ghee was manufactured using ingredients like refined palm oil, palm kernel oil, palm olein, and certain chemicals. As per the claims of the ED, the company owned by Mangla was engaged in producing and supplying the alleged adulterated product. The ED also alleged that the records were manipulated to show the supplies as pure cow ghee.
The probe expanded to other entities
The probe has also extended to other firms and organizations. According to the Economic Offences Wing (ED), front entities such as Sri Vyshnavi Dairy Specialities, Malganga Milk & Agro Products, and A.R. Dairy Foods were part of the alleged supply chain. The organization is investigating the flow of money and the transactions involving the alleged supply of tainted ghee. The money laundering probe will help trace the proceeds that are allegedly generated from the activities.
Tirupati Laddu case under wider scrutiny
The controversy regarding Tirupati Laddu ghee has come into the limelight due to the use of ghee for making prasadam offered in the Tirumala temple. The latest crackdown against Sukriti Foods promoter shows that apart from checking the quality of the ghee, the investigation is also looking into the business deals linked with it. The move by the ED is based on the allegations revealed during the investigation, while further legal proceedings will clarify the facts and liability of the people involved.
