Tirumala ghee case: ED arrests Sukriti Foods promoter Kailash Chand Mangla

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Kailash Chand Mangla in connection with the alleged adulteration of ghee supplied to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). The arrest was made on Thursday, September 17, under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, by the agency's Hyderabad zonal office. Mangla was produced before the PMLA Special Court in Visakhapatnam, which remanded him to judicial custody.

The case began with a First Information Report (FIR) registered at the Tirupati East police station, alleging criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and corruption in the fraudulent supply of adulterated ghee to the TTD. The ED subsequently took up its own investigation into the financial trail under the money laundering law.

According to the ED, its probe found that the ghee was manufactured using refined palm oil, palm kernel oil, palmolein and other chemicals, including MG-90, monoglycerides, Myvacet Soft 400 and acetic acid ester. This product, the agency says, was then supplied to the TTD as 'Agmark Special Grade cow ghee' for use in the preparation of the temple's Laddu Prasadam.

The value of the alleged fraudulent ghee supplies made between 2019 and 2024 has been estimated at ₹230 crore. Of this, adulterated ghee worth about ₹96 crore was allegedly manufactured by Mangla, the ED said.

Mangla is the promoter of M/s Sukriti Foods Pvt. Ltd. The agency has named him as a co-conspirator who allegedly facilitated the procurement of adulterants and the manufacture of adulterated ghee at his factory premises. He is also accused of coordinating the supply of this ghee through a set of intermediary companies — M/s Sri Vyshnavi Dairy Specialities Pvt. Ltd., M/s Malganga Milk & Agro Products Pvt. Ltd. and M/s A.R. Dairy Foods Pvt. Ltd.

The investigation further alleges that Mangla created and maintained false records relating to the sale and purchase of ghee and refined palm oil. According to the ED, these records were intended to conceal the actual use of adulterants and to create the appearance of a legitimate production and supply chain for genuine cow ghee.

This is the second arrest in the case. The ED had earlier arrested Vipin Jain, promoter and director of M/s Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Milk Pvt. Ltd., who is alleged to have orchestrated the manufacture and fraudulent supply of adulterated ghee to the TTD.

The Laddu Prasadam is among the most widely recognised offerings at the Tirumala temple, one of the largest pilgrimage centres in the world, and holds a Geographical Indication (GI) tag. The alleged substitution of cow ghee has attracted wide public attention because of the religious and cultural significance attached to the prasadam.

The Tirumala ghee case has also raised questions about procurement and quality-check systems in large temple supply chains. The TTD has previously stated that it has tightened its testing procedures for ghee and other ingredients used in the prasadam.

It is important to note that the investigation is still at an early stage. The allegations made by the ED are yet to be tested in court, and Mangla, Jain and the companies named have not been convicted of any offence. Under Indian law, every accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty and has the right to defend themselves against the charges.

The ED is expected to continue examining the financial records and transactions linked to the supply chain, and further arrests or attachments of assets have not been ruled out. The agency has not indicated a timeline for filing its prosecution complaint in the matter.