Tirumala Shocker: Rs 54 Crore Silk Dupatta Scam Uncovered After Fake Ghee Row and Donation Box Theft

The vigilance officials have unearthed a new scam at Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam, this time finding an inconsistency in acquiring the silk dupattas for a decade-long period. The dupattas were believed to be pure mulberry silk but turned out to be polyester. 

The scam came to light after TTD Chairman BR Naidu ordered a check to see whether the dupattas met the quality standards set in the tenders. These dupattas were presented to dignitaries and donors as part of the tradition. The scam is estimated to have incurred a loss of around Rs 54 crores.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam has previously been in the news for controversies about the adulterated laddus and the Parakamani case. 

The tenders regarding the quality of silk dupattas have clearly stated that the dupattas must be made of pure mulberry silk and must use 20/22 denier yarn along with a minimum resultant count of 31.5 denier. The tender further clarifies the dimensions of the dupatta with clear instructions about the display of the temple symbols on the dupatta.

The officials stated that the contractor supplied 15,000 dupattas priced at Rs 1,389 per piece. 

According to reports, TTD Chairman BR Naidu said, “We have come to know that there were a few discrepancies in the purchasing department. Taking note of this, we have handed over the investigation to the ACB.” The vigilance committee sent samples for testing to two different laboratories, where it was confirmed that the dupattas were made of 100% polyester. 

Tirumala receives another whammy after the laddu controversy and the donation box theft

Also Read: Tirupati Temple Laddu Scam: Rs 250 Crore Worth Of Adulterated Ghee Fed To Devotees Over 5 years

The laddu scandal of Tirupatti came to light in September 2024 after TDP came to power, and CM Chandrababu Naidu revealed the reports that alleged that adulterated ghee was used in laddus instead of cow ghee. An SIT was constituted, which revealed that between 2019 and 2024, around 20 crore laddus were made with adulterated ghee. During this period, Rs 250 crores were paid by the then TTD board to various suppliers. 

The donation box theft case, also known as the Parakamani case, broke out on April 29, 2023, when a clerk, CV Ravi Kumar, was caught stealing from the “Srivari Hundi” donation box at a temple-associated monastery.