ED Arrests Kailash Chand Manglam in TTD Ghee Adulteration Case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Kailash Chand Manglam, a key accused in the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) ghee adulteration case. Manglam was taken into custody under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, on September 17 and produced before the Special PMLA Court in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, which remanded him to judicial custody.

According to the ED, Manglam is a promoter of Sukriti Foods Pvt Ltd and one of the co-conspirators in the case. He allegedly facilitated the procurement of adulterants and manufactured adulterated ghee at his factory premises. The ED's Hyderabad zonal office initiated the investigation based on a First Information Report (FIR) registered at Tirupati East Police Station, which alleged criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and corruption in the fraudulent supply of adulterated ghee to TTD.

The probe revealed that the ghee used to prepare the famous Tirupati Laddu prasadam 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. This mixture was then supplied as Agmark Special Grade Cow Ghee to TTD.

The ED stated that the alleged fraudulent supplies of ghee to TTD between 2019 and 2024 were valued at ₹230 crore. Of this, adulterated ghee worth ₹96 crore was manufactured by Manglam. He also allegedly 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.

Further, Manglam is accused of creating and maintaining false records related to the sale and purchase of ghee and refined palm oil. The ED said this was done to conceal the actual utilisation of adulterants and to create an appearance of legitimate production and supply of genuine cow ghee.

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. The investigation into the case is ongoing.