Tirumala Silk Dupatta Scam: ₹54 Crore Fraud Exposed After Polyester Found in Place of Pure Silk

Tirumala Silk Dupatta Scam:
A major scam has been uncovered in the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) involving the supply of supposedly pure silk dupattas that were actually made of polyester. A supplier is accused of delivering counterfeit dupattas for nearly ten years, causing an estimated loss of more than ₹54 crore.

Polyester Dupattas Passed Off as Pure Silk

Vigilance officials discovered that the contractor submitted bills for 100% silk-polyester blend dupattas, but the fabrics were completely fake.
Samples sent to laboratories, including the Central Silk Board labs in Bengaluru and Dharmavaram, confirmed that the dupattas were not silk but polyester.

The contractor supplied around 15,000 dupattas at ₹1,389 each, falsely claiming they were woven with high-quality silk.

TTD Chairman Confirms the Scam

Responding to the findings, TTD Chairman B.R. Naidu confirmed that irregularities had taken place in the purchasing department and stated that the case has been handed over to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for a detailed investigation.

Where Are These Dupattas Used?

TTD gifts silk dupattas to:

• VIP devotees

• Donors

• Devotees attending Veda Ashirvachanam at Ranganayakula Mandapam

Because lakhs of devotees visit the temple every year, TTD spends crores on purchasing the dupattas through special tenders.

How the Scam Was Exposed

Samples were collected from TTD godowns and temple premises.
Both laboratory reports confirmed that all the dupattas were made of polyester, not silk, exposing the large-scale fraud.

New Contract for 15,000 Dupattas Suspended

According to reports, the supplier VRS Exports was recently awarded a fresh contract for 15,000 dupattas. After the scam surfaced, TTD immediately halted the contract and handed the investigation to the ACB.

Silk Dupatta Specifications as per TTD Rules

• Must be woven with 100% pure silk

• Warp and weft should use 20/22 denier silk thread

• Minimum thickness: 31.5 denier

• Must feature “Om Namo Venkatesaya” in Sanskrit on one side and Telugu on the other

• Traditional symbols like Shanku, Chakra, and Namam must be present

• Size, weight, border design must match TTD standards

The investigation revealed that the supplier cheated the temple by replacing pure silk with cheaper polyester.

Background: Tirupati Laddu Controversy (2024)

In September 2024, another controversy broke out when allegations were made that the holy Tirupati laddu was being prepared using adulterated ghee or animal fat instead of pure cow ghee. That issue had created a major political storm in Andhra Pradesh.