Tirupati Laddu Row: Madras High Court reserves FSSAI license to suspend Dindigul-based AR dairy products

Ar dairy products. File | Image source: G. Karthikeyan

The Madras High Court put aside a permit for the suspension of India’s Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) on Friday (16 May 2025) to the Dindiger-based Ar Dairy Products Pte Ltd, for allegedly providing foreign fats, rather than milk fat, to Tirumala tirumala tirumala tirumala tirumala tirumala tirumala tirumala tirumala tirumala devasthanam (TTDD) to laddu prasdudududus prasdududu prasdudu prasdudu prasdudu.

Judge V. Lakshminarayanan allowed a written petition filed by AR Dairy Food Private Limited, challenging the moratorium adopted by the Central Licensing Authority on February 14, 2006, on February 14, 2025. He also remitted the matter to the issue for reconsideration.

The judge made it clear that the authorities must consider whether the license must be suspended for individual ghee or other products only. He also ordered a new lawsuit to be issued within four weeks after he was ordered to reconsider the matter under his instructions.

Judge Lakshminarayanan said the permit was suspended only in the manufacture of ghee until the License Bureau reconsidered the matter and issued a new lawsuit. The judge further observed that the suspension of revocation could be up to six weeks, rather than indefinitely.

He added that if the licensing authority wants to prevent the petitioner company from producing any food permanently after concluding that it does adulterate the ghee provided by the TTD, the only option available is to cancel the FSSAI license by following proper legal procedures.

As the written petition is allowed on technical grounds, the judge directed the petitioner to pay Rs 20 lakh to the central licensing authority within two weeks. The orders remain on the Madurai bench in the Madurai High Court on April 2, 2025, but served in the main seat of the Chennai High Court.

In the affidavit, the dairy company claims to buy milk from 13,000 suppliers every day by hiring 400 employees. It said the license suddenly stopped preventing dairy from producing any milk products, not just ghee, which is shocking for everyone who relies on the company.

It also argued that the licensing authorities initially issued notices of improvement under Section 32 of the 2006 Act, but waived the lawsuits halfway through the process of suspending the FSSAI license by citing the reasons for the public interest.