India Arrests Food Supplier Promoter in ₹230 Crore Tirupati Ghee Money Laundering Probe
India’s Enforcement Directorate has arrested Kailash Chand Mangla, promoter of Sukriti Foods Pvt Ltd, as part of a money laundering investigation into the alleged fraudulent supply of adulterated ghee to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
Mangla was arrested on 17 September 2026 by the agency’s Hyderabad Zonal Office under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. He was subsequently produced before the Special PMLA Court in Visakhapatnam and remanded to judicial custody.
The money laundering investigation stems from an FIR registered by Tirupati East Police Station alleging criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and corruption in connection with ghee supplied to TTD. According to the Enforcement Directorate’s account of its investigation, the product supplied as Agmark Special Grade Cow Ghee was allegedly manufactured using refined palm oil, palm kernel oil, palmolein and chemical additives including MG-90, monoglycerides, Myvacet Soft 400 and acetic acid ester.
The agency alleges that fraudulent ghee supplies to TTD between 2019 and 2024 were valued at approximately ₹230 crore. Of that amount, around ₹96 crore of allegedly adulterated ghee was manufactured by Mangla, according to the investigation.
Investigators allege that Mangla facilitated the procurement of adulterants and manufactured the product at his factory. He is also accused of coordinating supplies through several entities, including Sri Vyshnavi Dairy Specialities Pvt Ltd, Malganga Milk & Agro Products Pvt Ltd and A.R. Dairy Foods Pvt Ltd.
The Enforcement Directorate further alleges that false records relating to purchases and sales of ghee and refined palm oil were created and maintained to conceal the actual use of adulterants and give the appearance of legitimate production and supply of genuine cow ghee.
The arrest follows an earlier arrest in the same investigation of Vipin Jain, promoter and director of Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Milk Pvt Ltd. The Enforcement Directorate says its investigation remains ongoing.
The allegations have not been established by a court. Mangla’s remand is part of continuing criminal proceedings and does not constitute a finding of guilt.
