Silk Scam Shakes Holy Haven: TTD's Call for ACB Probe

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has urged the Andhra Pradesh government to conduct an Anti-Corruption Bureau investigation into a fabric supplier accused of delivering polyester shawls worth over Rs 54 crore instead of silk for temple rituals. An internal inquiry revealed substandard materials failing to meet tender specifications.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has formally requested the Andhra Pradesh government to initiate an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) probe into a fabric supplier accused of supplying polyester shawls worth over Rs 54 crore in lieu of the specified silk ones.

This discrepancy in material was discovered during an internal vigilance inquiry, which revealed that the supplied shawls did not meet the tender specifications and were of inferior quality. Laboratory analyses conducted in Dharmavaram and Bengaluru substantiated these findings.

The ACB's involvement is sought to verify the reports submitted by the TTD's vigilance department, which have already detailed the transactions and lapses of the vendor accused of this misappropriation affecting the rituals at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple.

(With inputs from agencies.)