In a major development in the Tirupati laddu ghee adulteration case, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested four individuals on Sunday, including the managing director of a Tamil Nadu-based dairy company.
According to sources, those taken into custody include R Rajasekharan, MD of Dindigul-based AR Dairy; Vipin Jain and Pomil Jain of Uttarakhand-based Bhole Baba Dairy; and Apoorva Chawda from Vaishnavi Dairy in Nellore. The arrests followed three days of intense questioning, after which the accused were produced before a local magistrate in Tirupati.
The investigation uncovered widespread irregularities in the ghee supply process, with violations at multiple levels, according to sources in the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). Representatives of Vaishnavi Dairy allegedly secured tenders under the name of AR Dairy for supplying ghee. To manipulate the tender process, Vaishnavi Dairy reportedly fabricated documents and seals using AR Dairy’s name. Additionally, the company is accused of creating false records, falsely claiming that the ghee was sourced from Bhole Baba Dairy in Roorkee.
திருப்பதி லட்டு தயாரிக்க மாட்டு கொழுப்பு கலந்த நெய் வழங்கியது குறித்த சிபிஐ விசாரனையில் முறைகேடுகள் உறுதி செய்யபட்ட காரணத்தால் திண்டுக்கல் ஏஆர் புட்ஸ் நிறுவனத்தின் உரிமையாளர் ராஜசேகரன் கைது செய்யபட்டுள்ளார்.
பணம் சம்பாதிப்பதற்காக எந்த எல்லைக்கும் சென்று ஊழல் செய்ய தயங்காத இந்த… pic.twitter.com/VVSlIlRDXm
— Selva Kumar (@Selvakumar_IN) February 10, 2025
Background
The SIT’s probe uncovered widespread irregularities in the ghee supply process, with violations at multiple levels, sources said. The controversy first erupted in September last year when Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu accused the previous YSRCP government of allowing the use of adulterated ghee containing animal fat in the preparation of Tirupati laddus.
The allegations gained momentum after the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) released a laboratory report supporting the claims. However, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) dismissed the report, calling it an attempt to malign the party.
Following the scandal, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) blacklisted AR Dairy and filed a complaint at the Tirupati East police station. The Andhra Pradesh government initiated an investigation, but after the matter reached the Supreme Court, the apex court directed the CBI to take over the case in October last year.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was subsequently formed, comprising CBI Joint Director (Hyderabad) S Veeresh Prabhu, CBI SP (Visakhapatnam) Murali Rambha, Guntur IG Sarvashresth Tripathi, Visakhapatnam Range DIG Gopinath Jatti, and an FSSAI official.
With the latest arrests, the probe is expected to intensify, as authorities seek to determine the full extent of the adulteration and those responsible for compromising the sanctity of the Tirupati laddu preparation process.
(With inputs from Times Of India)
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