Tirupati Temple Rs 54 Cr Scam: Polyester Shawls Passed Off as Silk

• A Rs 54 crore scam involving silk shawls was uncovered at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
• A contractor supplied polyester shawls instead of pure mulberry silk, charging higher prices, from 2015 to 2025.
• Vigilance inquiry confirmed the fraud, with lab tests showing the fabric was polyester and missing silk holograms.
• TTD scrapped contracts with the firm and referred the matter to the State Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for investigation.
• This scam is the latest in a series of controversies at TTD, following allegations of adulterated ghee and hundi theft.

Why It Matters: It shows corruption and fraud at a major religious institution.