Dindigul: A 14-member team from Andhra Pradesh, led by an official appointed by the Supreme Court, conducted a thorough search at the AR Dairy in Dindigul on Saturday in connection with the ongoing Tirupati laddu controversy. The raid, which lasted for over 14 hours, resulted in the seizure of numerous documents, food samples, and other materials for further investigation.
The controversy erupted after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu alleged that the ghee used to make the famous Tirupati laddus was adulterated with animal fat. Subsequent tests conducted at a private laboratory in Gujarat confirmed the presence of animal fat in the ghee.
The issue triggered a nationwide uproar, leading to several petitions being filed in the Supreme Court. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam lodged a complaint against the AR Dairy in Dindigul, the supplier of the ghee, at the Tirupati police station. The case is currently under investigation.
Initially, the Andhra Pradesh government formed a special investigation team to probe the matter. However, the Supreme Court subsequently dissolved the team and constituted a new five-member committee comprising central officials and food safety department officials to conduct a comprehensive inquiry.
Following the Supreme Court's order, a team of 14 officials, including a Supreme Court-appointed official and food safety department officials, arrived at the AR Dairy in Dindigul on Saturday afternoon and commenced the search. The raid, which began at 12 noon, concluded at 1:30 an on Sunday.
At the end of the inspection, the officials seized various items, account books, and documents from the dairy for further analysis. The Tirupati laddu, offered as prasadam at the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, holds immense religious significance for millions of devotees. The allegations of adulteration have caused widespread outrage and raised eyebrows due to the oblation which hurt religious sentiment of devotees.
