CBI arrests four suppliers involved in the Tirumala ghee adulteration case

Tirumala Laddu Prasadam. file
| Photo Credit: TTD PHOTO

In a significant breakthrough, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested four suppliers implicated in the Tirumala alleged ghee adulteration scandal. The accused include managing director of AR Dairy Rajasekharan, directors of Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Vipin Jain and Pinole Jain and CEO of Sri Vaishnavi Dairy Private Limited Apoorva Chawda.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by CBI Joint Director Viresh Prabhu took the accused into custody on Sunday (February 09). The SIT was constituted by the Supreme Court to probe the allegations of adulterated ghee being used in the preparation of sacred laddus at the temple of Lord Venkateswara.

Investigations revealed that representatives of Vaishnavi Dairy had fraudulently secured tenders in the name of AR Dairy by submitting forged documents. Discrepancies in pricing and supply chain processes also raised suspicions, with Vaishnavi Dairy purchasing ghee at ₹355 per kilogram but selling it to AR Dairy at ₹319.80 per kg.

The team also collected the information regarding the production capacity of the AR Dairy, the quantum of milk produced and as to why did the Vaishnavi Dairy supply the ghee when the AR Dairy had entered into an agreement with the TTD. Inquiries were also made as to how could the AR Dairy supply the ghee when it was sold at Rs. 500 per kg in the open market.

The controversy dates back to September 25 last year, when a complaint was filed alleging adulterated ghee was used in the preparation of laddus. The Supreme Court intervened in October, forming the five-member SIT to investigate the case under the supervision of CBI Director.

The five-member probe team included two from the CBI, two from the Andhra Pradesh government, and one from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

The AP government was represented by Guntur Range IG Sarvashreshtha Tripathi and Visakhapatnam Range DIG Gopinath Jetty. The CBI was represented by Hyderabad Zone Joint Director Veeresh Prabhu and Visakhapatnam SP Murali, along with FSSAI advisor Satyen Kumar Panda.

AR Dairy had secured the contract for the supply of 10 lakh kilograms of ghee to TTD at ₹319.80 per kilogram during the previous YSRCP regime in the State. The first two consignments of ghee was delivered to TTD on July 6 and 17 but was rejected by TTD after quality checks revealed it was substandard.

Suspecting a foul play, the TTD sent the samples to the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in Gujarat which confirmed the presence of animal fat in the ghee that was supplied.

The accused were presented before the II Additional Munsiff Court judge in Tirupati on Sunday night, who remanded them to judicial custody until February 20.