Amaravati: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested four individuals in connection with the adulteration of ghee used in the Tirumala Srivari Laddu, according to sources from Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
The CBI, acting on Supreme Court orders, formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the matter. The arrested individuals are linked to organizations that supplied ghee to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), including AR Dairy from Tamil Nadu, Parag Dairy from Uttar Pradesh, Premier Agri Foods, and Alpha Milk Foods, as stated by TDP.
Those arrested include Bipin Jain and Pomil Jain, former directors of Bhole Baba Dairy (Roorkee, Uttarakhand), Vaishnavi Dairy (Poonambakkam) CEO Apoorva Vinay Kant Chawda, and AR Dairy (Dundigal) MD Raju Rajasekharan, the TDP added.
Further, according to TDP, the accused were interrogated for three days in Tirupati but reportedly remained uncooperative despite strong evidence against them. Investigations have revealed troubling allegations that animal carcass residues were found in the ghee, sparking outrage among devotees.
The probe, as reported by the TDP office, is being led by CBI Hyderabad Division Joint Director Viresh Prabhu, with support from Visakha CBI SP Muraliramba, DIG Gopinath Jetty, IG Sarvashrestha Tripathi, and FSSAI officer Satyakumar Panda. Inspections have been carried out at multiple locations, including Tirumala, Tirupati, and AR Dairy's facility in Tamil Nadu, the TDP said.
AR Dairy, which had a contract with TTD, has been found guilty of multiple irregularities. Joint Director Viresh Prabhu has been stationed in Tirupati to monitor the investigation, TDP added.
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