Adulterated ghee used to make Tirupati Laddu, ED arrests Sukriti Foods promoter over Rs 96 crore supply
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Adulterated ghee used to make Tirupati Laddu, ED arrests Sukriti Foods promoter over Rs 96 crore supply")
Representative Image. Photograph: (ANI)
The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Sukriti Foods promoter Kailash Chand Mangla in the TTD ghee adulteration case, alleging that he manufactured and supplied adulterated ghee worth Rs 96 crore for use by the temple trust.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has alleged that ghee used to prepare the famous Tirupati Laddu prasadam was made using refined palm oil, palmolein, palm kernel oil and various chemicals. The agency said the adulterated ghee was then supplied to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) as Agmark Special Grade Cow Ghee.
The ED has arrested Kailash Chand Mangla, one of the alleged co-conspirators in the TTD ghee adulteration case. The agency accused him of helping procure adulterants and manufacturing adulterated ghee at his factory.
Mangla is the promoter of Sukriti Foods Pvt Ltd. He was arrested on September 17 under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
He was produced before the Special Court (PMLA) in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, which sent him to judicial custody.
The ED’s Hyderabad zonal office arrested Mangla during its investigation into an FIR registered at Tirupati East Police Station. The FIR relates to allegations of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and corruption in the supply of adulterated ghee to TTD.
The agency said its investigation found that "adulterated ghee was allegedly manufactured using Refined Palm Oil, Palm Kernel Oil, Palmolein and various chemicals, including MG-90, Monoglycerides, Myvacet Soft 400 and Acetic Acid Ester, and was subsequently supplied as Agmark Special Grade Cow Ghee for supply to TTD."
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According to the ED, fraudulent ghee supplies to TTD between 2019 and 2024 were worth Rs 230 crore. Of this, Rs 96 crore worth of adulterated ghee was allegedly manufactured by Mangla.
What does ED accuse Mangla of?
The ED said Mangla "facilitated the procurement of adulterants and manufactured adulterated ghee at his factory premises."
The agency also alleged that he helped supply the adulterated ghee through several front entities. These included Sri Vyshnavi Dairy Specialities Pvt Ltd, Malganga Milk and Agro Products Pvt Ltd and AR Dairy Foods Pvt Ltd.
The ED further alleged that Mangla created and maintained false records related to the sale and purchase of ghee and refined palm oil. According to the agency, the records were created to hide the actual use of adulterants and make the production and supply appear legitimate.
The ED had earlier arrested Vipin Jain, promoter and director of Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Milk Pvt Ltd, in the case.
Jain is alleged to have played a key role in manufacturing and fraudulently supplying adulterated ghee to TTD.
The arrest of Mangla is part of the ED’s ongoing investigation into the alleged adulteration and fraudulent supply of ghee to the temple trust.
