3 days ago
TTD ghee scam probe targets former top officials
Tirupati: The investigation into the adulterated ghee scam linked to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has entered a decisive phase, as the Special Investigation Team (SIT) is preparing to issue notices to two former senior officials of the temple body. This is the first time the probe has extended to the higher ranks of TTD's past administration.
Sources suggest one of the former officials may be summoned shortly, possibly in the presence of Appanna, a close aide to ex-TTD Chairman YV Subba Reddy. Appanna, who served as one of five personal assistants during Reddy's tenure under the YSRCP government, was recently questioned by SIT officials in Tirupati. Regarded as Reddy's most trusted aide, Appanna is believed to possess crucial information regarding the internal handling of ghee procurement and supply, which was later found to be adulterated.
Investigators are now examining how ghee contracts were awarded, any informal agreements that may have taken place, and the beneficiaries of such deals. Appanna is also known to have wide-reaching contacts in political and business circles, spanning Hyderabad to Delhi. A joint interrogation team, including three CBI Deputy Superintendents of Police and one from Andhra Pradesh Police, is leading the inquiry. Proceedings are being recorded in both audio and video formats.
Since the SIT launched its probe in November 2023 under Supreme Court direction, eight arrests have been made – six from dairies and two TTD staff. Until now, the investigation had largely avoided former trust board members, but Appanna's questioning has redirected the focus toward TTD's former top leadership.
In a related development, the SIT has detained Jyotish, a Kolkata-based businessman allegedly linked to the scam. A close associate of Bhole Baba Dairy's director Pomil Jain, Jyotish reportedly supplied raw materials, without formal invoicing for manufacturing the adulterated ghee. After initially evading authorities, he was traced to the outskirts of Kolkata and brought to Tirupati for questioning. Jyotish claimed ignorance about the ghee's end-use, insisting he acted on Jain's instructions.
