Tirumala Dupatta Scam: Fake Silk Exposed After 10 Years, Rs 54 Crore Loss Detected

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) has been hit by yet another major controversy, this time involving a massive Rs 54 crore silk dupatta procurement scam that allegedly ran undetected for nearly a decade. Vigilance officials revealed that between 2015 and 2025, thousands of dupattas supplied to the temple were falsely billed as silk but were actually made of polyester.

According to the investigation, a contractor supplied around 15,000 dupattas at Rs 1,389 each, claiming they were crafted from genuine silk. However, laboratory testing — including assessments by the Central Silk Board — confirmed that the material was polyester, exposing a long-running procurement fraud resulting in substantial financial loss.

TTD Chairman B R Naidu acknowledged the irregularities and said the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has been tasked with a full investigation. He added that discrepancies in the purchasing department have now come to light and corrective measures are underway.

This revelation adds to a series of controversies that have rocked TTD over the past few years. In 2024, the iconic Tirupati laddu came under scrutiny after allegations of adulterated or non-vegetarian ghee surfaced, prompting a CBI-supervised Special Investigation Team to probe the temple’s supply chain.

Another case — known as the Parakamani scandal — dates back to April 2023, when a clerk at a temple-associated mutt, CV Ravi Kumar, was arrested for allegedly stealing donations from the sacred Srivari Hundi. Prosecutors said he siphoned off funds contributed by devotees.

The latest silk dupatta scam underscores persistent challenges in TTD’s procurement and monitoring systems. With the investigation now in the hands of the ACB, more details are expected to emerge as officials probe how the fraud remained concealed for nearly ten years in one of the country’s most revered and financially significant temples.