Dispute over Tirupati Laddu | “Fish oil more expensive”: Accused ghee supplier rejects allegations | Latest news from India

A day after the TTD initiated legal action against the company, the employee refuted the claim that fish oil was used to make ghee. He said the allegation was absurd as fish oil was more expensive than ghee.

Kanan, a quality control officer at the company, said any adulteration of this kind could be immediately identified by smell.

“These allegations, which range from adulteration of vegetable oils to animal fats, are seriously damaging our business. Moreover, the claim that fish oil has been added is absurd; fish oil is more expensive than ghee. Any adulteration of this kind would be immediately detectable by smell alone,” he told a Tamil channel, according to The Indian Express.

The official said the company has been producing ghee since 1998. He said the milk procured for ghee production undergoes 102 quality checks.

He said the company's ghee was approved by TTD.

“Our ghee samples are first tested in national laboratories before being sent to TTD. After arrival, TTD's food safety officer checks the samples again,” he added.

Meanwhile, spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar said in a post on Sunday that the dispute had left a deep wound in the psyche of Hindus.

“The Tirupati laddu controversy has inflicted deep wounds in the Hindu psyche and triggered anger. It is high time that the management of the temple is overseen and handed over to religious leaders and devotees, and not to self-serving officials, ruthless businessmen and politicians,” he wrote on X.

TTD managing director J. Shyamala Rao said last week that laboratory tests had revealed the presence of animal fat and lard in selected samples of ghee supplied by the company.

Andhra Minister Nara Lokesh on Saturday said the government will not spare those using animal fat in Tirupati Ladds.

“The NDDB report makes it clear that there was falsification. The report is clear, this is not an allegation. Chandrababu Naidu spoke with facts. We will not spare anyone and we will not leave this issue to a CBI investigation alone,” he said.

With contributions from PTI, ANI