The Vigilance and Enforcement Department has uncovered the darshan ticket scam that took place on Tirumala Hill during the YSRCP regime. It has sent a report to the government stating that Jaganmohan Reddy’s uncle YV Subba Reddy as TTD Chairman issued one lakh break darshans per year. During his four year term, he had issued about 4 lakh tickets.
Likewise, his successor and YCP leader Bhumana Karunakar Reddy also resorted to severe irregularities by spending huge amounts, beyond the requirements on engineering works, for which the then EO Dharma Reddy also colluded with him. Vigilance officials concluded that Subba Reddy gave darshan tickets on an average to 273 people every day.
Moreover, it was found that Rs. 300 darshan tickets were recommended from his office for 2 to 3 thousand per day. Former ministers Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy, RK Roja and others were found to have allotted darshan tickets on recommendation letters to former public representatives of the same community.
In the report submitted to the government, vigilance officials stated that there were massive irregularities in the purchase of raw materials of Tirumala prasadams. It was reported that large-scale irregularities had taken place in the procurement of rice, jaggery, sugar, ghee, cardamom and cashew nuts used in prasadams in Tirumala.
It was found that when the price was low, it was procured for two months and when the price was high, it was procured for six months. It was concluded that the contractors had provided second-rate goods contrary to the tender standards and caused losses to TTD without paying attention. The vigilance report revealed that losses occurred not only during the leadership of Subba Reddy but also during the tenure of Karunakar Reddy, who served as TTD chairman after him.
When Karunakar Reddy was the chairman, he decided to demolish the Govindaraja Swamy and Sri Kodandarama Swamy satrams in Tirupati and build Achyutam and Sripadham hostels at a cost of Rs. 600 crore. In February 2023, the then TTD Board of Trustees proposed to allocate Rs. 30.60 crore for the repairs of the satras.
It is learnt that the Vigilance has stated that there was large-scale corruption behind the demolition of the two satras and the invitation of tenders for new constructions without taking expert advice, even though there was scope for repairs.
It seems that the Vigilance report has included that during Karunakar Reddy’s tenure, the allocation of huge funds for engineering works, even though it was not necessary, became a burden on the TTD.
