SIT Arrests Subba Reddy’s Ex-PA in TTD Adulterated Ghee Case
The case dates back to the period when Subba Reddy chaired the TTD board, during which Bholebaba Dairy, based in Uttarakhand, supplied ghee for the Tirumala laddus.
Tirupati: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Wednesday night arrested Appanna, former personal assistant to YSRC Rajya Sabha member and ex-TTD chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy, in connection with the adulterated ghee supply case linked to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). He was produced before the ACB court in Nellore later that night and was remanded to 14 days’ judicial custody.
The arrest marks the first political link in the TTD ghee adulteration case that occurred during the YSR Congress regime. Appanna, a native of Vizianagaram district, had served as Subba Reddy’s personal assistant from 2014, when he was elected as Ongole MP, until the 2024 elections. He had also worked as protocol officer on special duty (OSD) at Andhra Pradesh Bhavan in Delhi during the YSRC regime.
The case dates back to the period when Subba Reddy chaired the TTD board, during which Bholebaba Dairy, based in Uttarakhand, supplied ghee for the Tirumala laddus. After quality concerns were raised, the dairy was blacklisted but allegedly continued supplying adulterated ghee through proxy dairies. Tamil Nadu-based AR Dairy later secured the contract, reportedly using adulterated stock routed through Sri Vaishnavi Dairy in Tirupati district.
According to SIT officials, Appanna is suspected to have played a role in a larger conspiracy behind the supply of adulterated ghee to the TTD. The SIT’s remand report mentions that in 2022, he allegedly contacted the then TTD procurement general manager and the management of Bholebaba Dairy, demanding a commission of ₹25 per kg of ghee. When the dairy reportedly refused, he is suspected to have conspired to get it blacklisted. Investigators allege that Appanna influenced officials to conduct inspections and facilitated anonymous complaints, leading to Bholebaba Dairy’s disqualification. Following this, Premier Agrifoods obtained the ghee contract despite quoting ₹138 higher per unit. The SIT has named Appanna as the 24th accused in the charge sheet.
Investigators suspect that Appanna played a role in helping non-qualified dairies secure TTD contracts in exchange for commissions. SIT records show that he was questioned at the Tirupati SIT office for two days in June 2025. He subsequently approached the High Court, which on July 10, 2025, stayed the SIT probe.
Following a Supreme Court directive in the last week of September 2025, the investigation was resumed. Appanna was questioned again over the past two days, and, according to officials, his non-cooperation during interrogation led to his arrest.
Discussions are now under way on whether Subba Reddy, who chaired the TTD Board when the disputed supplies were approved, will be summoned for questioning.
