SIT Grills Former TTD EO For 9 Hours In Adulterated Ghee Probe
The SIT has also issued notices to former TTD chairman and YSRC Rajya Sabha member Y. V. Subba Reddy to appear on November 13. He has sought a short extension citing parliamentary commitments.
Tirupati:The CBI-led Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the laddu ghee adulteration case questioned former Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) executive officer A. V. Dharma Reddy for nearly nine hours in Tirupati on Tuesday. He appeared at the SIT’s temporary office at the Bhoodevi Complex near Alipiri in the morning, and the questioning continued throughout the day under the supervision of CBI DIG Murali Rambha.
Sources said the SIT sought clarity on procurement protocols and quality checks followed during the period when synthetic ghee entered the supply chain. Investigators examined supplier selection, credential verification, documentation, and whether any internal red flags were raised or acted upon. They also reviewed the administrative process that allowed the supply chain to function.
A key focus was how Bhole Baba Organic Dairy, blacklisted in 2022, continued supplying ghee to TTD through proxy firms. Recent findings showed that Bhole Baba and associated entities — Vyshnavi Dairy, Mal Ganga Dairy and AR Dairy — supplied nearly 68 lakh kg of synthetic ghee, worth about `250 crore, between 2019 and 2024 despite not procuring milk or butter. The arrest of Delhi-based chemical supplier Ajay Kumar Sugandh, who supplied emulsifiers, beta carotene and artificial flavouring agents, exposed the scale of adulteration.
The SIT is probing possible internal facilitation that may have enabled the continuation of supplies even after blacklisting. While no serving or former official has been named as an accused, statements indicate that some officers may have aided the process through documentation or approvals. These details are being verified against records and digital data.
Bhole Baba Organic Dairy directors Pomil Jain and Vipin Jain, currently out on bail, were questioned separately in Tirupati on Tuesday, and parts of their statements were used for cross-verification during Dharma Reddy’s examination.
After the session, Dharma Reddy briefly approached the media but withdrew when Jana Sena Tirupati in-charge Kiran Rayal confronted him holding a laddu. Sources said further questioning may follow.
The SIT has also issued notices to former TTD chairman and YSRC Rajya Sabha member Y. V. Subba Reddy to appear on November 13. He has sought a short extension citing parliamentary commitments.
