In a significant development regarding the alleged adulteration of the Tirumala Srivari Laddu prasadam, officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have arrested four individuals and presented them before a court in Tirupati.
According to reliable sources, those arrested include Vipin Jain and Pomil Jain, former directors of Bhole Baba Dairy in Roorkee, Uttarakhand; Apoorva Vinay Kanth Chawda, the CEO of Vaishnavi Dairy in Poonambaka; and Raju Rajashekaran, the Managing Director of AR Dairy in Dindigul.
The investigation uncovered several violations in the supply of ghee. It was revealed that representatives from Vaishnavi Dairy had won tenders to supply ghee using fraudulent documents and seals on behalf of AR Dairy. Additionally, Vaishnavi Dairy was found to have created false records regarding the procurement of ghee from Bhole Baba Dairy, which was determined to be incapable of supplying ghee in large quantities.
Following a thorough inquiry, the investigation team identified these irregularities, leading to the arrest of the four individuals associated with the three dairies. The case involves allegations of the presence of animal fat in the sacred Tirumala Laddu under the previous administration.
When petitions were filed before the Supreme Court for a comprehensive investigation into the issue, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed, comprising officials from both the Union and State governments. An investigation into the matter was initiated last year under the supervision of the CBI Director.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) requires 15,000 kg of cow ghee daily for the preparation of Laddus. Tenders were finalized for AR Foods from Tamil Nadu to supply ghee at a price of Rs 320 per kg.
