Mumbai, December 10: After the fake ghee controversy and donation box theft, a silk dupatta scam has rocked the Tirumala temple in Andhra Pradesh. It is reported that the scam came to light after vigilance officials of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which runs the temple, detected large-scale irregularities in the procurement of silk dupattas. Notably, it was found that the TTD was defrauded for a period of ten years from 2015 to 2025. The trust had procured thousands of silk dupattas (ceremonial shawls) from a supplier, which were meant to be distributed as gifts to VIP devotees, donors, and dignitaries during temple rituals.

During the investigation, officials found that fake silk dupattas were supplied to the trust despite the procurement being billed as a 100 per cent polyester-silk mix. It is learned that the scam has caused an estimated loss of over INR 54 crore to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams. With the scam being unearthed, the trust has now claimed of been defrauded by a firm which supplied polyester dupattas instead of silk. The trust has now referred the silk dupatta scam case to the state's anti-corruption bureau (ACB). Tirumala Laddu Adulteration Case: CBI Probe Reveals Uttarakhand-Based Bhole Baba Dairy Supplied 68 Lakh Kg Fake Ghee Worth INR 250 Crore to Tirupati Temple.

TTD Asks ACB to Identify the Accused Behind the Silk Duppatta Scam

The ACB has been asked to identify those behind the alleged fraud. So, who did the silk dupatta scam come to light? The scam was busted when the trust, headed by chairman BR Naidu, directed its vigilance and security wing to examine if the so-called "silk dupattas" which they had procured met tender specifications. According to the norms, the silk must be woven entirely from pure mulberry silk using 20/22 denier yarn in both warp and weft, with a resultant minimum count of 31.5 denier.

The requirement also demanded that the silk dupattas have "Om Namo Venkatesaya" inscribed in Sanskrit and Telugu, and featured symbols such as Sanku, Chakra, and Namam. The norms also contained specific details for correct border design, size, weight, etc. However, the examination revealed that the supplier defrauded the temple trust by supplying cheaper polyester material instead of silk dupattas. Following this, a resolution was passed, with the board asked the ACB to conduct a detailed investigation.

Testing of Two Samples Confirms That the Dupattas Were 100% Polyester

For the inspection, vigilance officials collected samples from fresh stocks at the warehouse in Tirupati and another sample from the approved stocks at the Vaibhavotsava Mandapam in Tirumala. Post this, the samples were sent to Central Silk Board (CSB) laboratories in Bengaluru and Dharmavaram for scientific analysis. Amid this, authorities found that the so-called silk dupattas were supplied by a single firm, VRS Export of Nagari. They also learned that the same company was providing various categories of cloth to the temple trust for years. Amul On Tirupati Laddu Prasadam Controversy: Amul Issues Clarification Amid Row Over Use of Animal Fat in Prasada, Says ‘Never Supplied Ghee to Tirupati Temple’.

The test results of the samples by both labs confirmed the fraud. The labs concluded that the dupattas were 100 per cent polyester in both warp and weft and not silk as claimed. Thereby confirming the alleged fraud. Vigilance officers also found that the mandatory silk hologram was missing in all samples received from VRS Export. The enquiry also revealed that the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams had awarded a contract to the same company for another 15,000 dupattas. The contract was awarded at around INR 1,389 per piece. It was found that VRS Export and its sister concerns together supplied polyester cloth worth nearly INR 54.95 crore between 2015 to 2025.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 10, 2025 03:37 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).