TIRUMALA/VIJAYAWADA: The nine-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted by the State government to probe into the alleged irregularities in the purchase of adulterated ghee for the preparation of Laddu Prasadam at Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), held a series of meetings in Tirupati on Saturday.
Headed by Guntur range Inspector General of Police (IG) Sarvashresth Tripathi, the SIT was constituted on Thursday. Visakhapatnam range Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Gopinath Jatti and Kadapa SP V Harshvardhan Raju are among the members of the SIT, which will also probe into the irregularities in the procurement of ghee from Tamil Nadu-based AR Dairy Food Private Limited.
During a meeting at the police guest house in Tirupati, the SIT held discussions with officials from the TTD procurement department and the personnel of Tirupati East police station. Later, the team members visited the Srivari temple in Tirumala and held discussions with TTD executive officer (EO) J Shyamala Rao. They also visited the Potu, where the Laddu Prasadams are prepared, and held meetings with several officials at Annamayya Bhavan.
Sources said the Rao elaborated on the procurement of ghee, tender process, transportation of ghee from suppliers and other temple-related activities.
SIT to question AR Dairy officials as part of probe
The EO also submitted the report of NDDB CALF on the quality of the ghee.
“The officers requested additional information pertaining to the procurement of ghee, tendering process and participants to analyse the pattern of tenders. The team will also inspect other dairies to compare the ghee procurement and quality,” said a senior official.
After meeting with the EO, the SIT members convened another meeting at the Tirupati police guest house for over two hours where IG Tripathi divided the tasks to other members.
“Officers who work in the district and those who have worked here previously were given the job of analysing the administrative activities at the temple. Other members were assigned to collect evidence from the dairy in question. The executives of AR Dairy will be called for questioning in connection with the alleged irregularities in the supply of substandard ghee,” he added.
The SIT is expected to stay in Tirupati for the next few days and visit Tirumala once again.
Tasks divided
It has been learnt that officers who work in the district and those who have worked here previously were given the job of analysing the administrative activities at the temple, while others were assigned to collect evidence from the dairy in question.