The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested four individuals in connection with the adulteration of ghee used in the famous Tirumala Srivari Laddu, according to sources from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
The arrests come after the Supreme Court directed the CBI to investigate the matter, prompting the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to look into the case. The arrested individuals are associated with several organizations that supplied ghee to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). These include AR Dairy from Tamil Nadu, Parag Dairy from Uttar Pradesh, Premier Agri Foods, and Alpha Milk Foods, as reported by TDP.
The individuals arrested include Bipin Jain and Pomil Jain, former directors of Bhole Baba Dairy (Roorkee, Uttarakhand), Apoorva Vinay Kant Chawda, CEO of Vaishnavi Dairy (Poonambakkam), and Raju Rajasekharan, managing director of AR Dairy (Dundigal), TDP added.
According to TDP, the accused were questioned for three days in Tirupati but reportedly failed to cooperate despite significant evidence against them. Investigations have uncovered alarming findings, including traces of animal carcass residues in the ghee, which has sparked outrage among devotees.
The investigation is being led by CBI Hyderabad Division Joint Director Viresh Prabhu, with assistance from Visakha CBI SP Muraliramba, DIG Gopinath Jetty, IG Sarvashrestha Tripathi, and FSSAI officer Satyakumar Panda. The CBI has conducted inspections at multiple sites, including Tirumala, Tirupati, and the AR Dairy facility in Tamil Nadu, according to the TDP.
AR Dairy, which held a contract with TTD, has been found guilty of several irregularities. Joint Director Viresh Prabhu has been stationed in Tirupati to oversee the ongoing investigation, the TDP reported.