The Enforcement Directorate (ED) reportedly arrested one of the co-conspirators in connection with the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) ghee adulteration case.
The accused, Kailash Chand Manglam, was accused of facilitating the procurement of adulterants and manufacturing at his factory premises, news agency ANI reported on Friday.
Manglam was arrested under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. He was arrested on September 17 and produced before the Special Court (PMLA) in , which remanded him to judicial custody.
The Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) Hyderabad zonal office arrested Mangla following its investigation initiated on the basis of a First Information Report (FIR) registered at Tirupati East Police Station.
The FIR was filed, alleging criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and corruption in relation to the fraudulent supply of adulterated ghee to TTD.
The ED said on Friday that the ghee used to prepare ‘Tirupati Laddu’ prasadam was allegedly manufactured using refined palm oil, palmolein and various chemicals.
ED investigation revealed 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,” ANI reported.
The alleged fraudulent supplies of ghee to TTD during 2019-2024 were valued at ₹230 crore, and out of this, ₹96 crore of adulterated ghee was manufactured by Mangla, it claimed.
“The alleged fraudulent supplies of ghee to TTD during the period 2019–2024 were valued at ₹230 crore and out of this, ₹96 crore of adulterated Ghee was manufactured by Kailash Chand Mangla,” said the federal agency in a statement.
Mangla, a promoter of Sukriti Foods Pvt Ltd, is one of the co-conspirators in the case. He was accused of “facilitating the procurement of adulterants.” He allegedly manufactured adulterated ghee at his factory premises.
“Mangla also coordinated the supply of adulterated ghee through various front entities, including Sri Vyshnavi Dairy Specialities Pvt Ltd, Malganga Milk and Agro Products Pvt Ltd and AR Dairy Foods Pvt Ltd,” the ED said.
“He also created and maintained false records relating to the sale and purchase of ghee and refined palm oil, with the objective of concealing the actual utilisation of adulterants and creating an appearance of legitimate production and supply of genuine cow ghee,” said the financial probe agency said.
Earlier, the ED had arrested Vipin Jain, promoter and director of Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Milk Pvt Ltd, who is alleged to have orchestrated the manufacture and fraudulent supply of adulterated ghee to TTD, as part of the ongoing investigation into the case.
(With inputs from ANI, PTI)
