VIJAYAWADA: The special investigation team (SIT) which is probing the alleged irregularities in supply of cow ghee for making Laddu Prasadam in the Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has intensified its investigation on Monday.
The team members including the SIT head Guntur range IG Sarvashresth Tripathi and others reached Tirumala and inspected the marketing godown located near the temple.
It is learnt that team members are focusing mainly on the Ghee procurement agreement conditions during the time of tenders. As a part of the inquiry, team members visited marketing godown and also inspected the process involved in testing of Laddu Prasadam quality.
The team reportedly spent more than four hours in Tirumala inspecting the flour mill which is a part of temple kitchen where laddu prasadam is prepared. Later, the team inspected lab in the vicinity where the quality of ghee is tested. The team also observed the daily activities of kitchen staff such as receiving the ghee stock from suppliers to testing the samples in the lab facility and preparation of Laddu Prasadam.
The team members further took stock of the situation at laddu prasadam kitchen and laddu prasadam counters where they have interacted with a few devotees and laddu prasadam complex staff and recorded their statements pertaining to the taste and quality of the Laddu Prasadam being sold in the counters.
Further, the investigation team summoned the temple and kitchen staff who have served duties in the month of June and July. It is reportedly learnt that investigation team members recorded the statements of employees pertaining to ghee quality and other reports of adulteration during that time.
On the other hand, another team reportedly left to Tamil Nadu to visit the dairy in question, AR Dairy Pvt Ltd in Dindigul, and carry out the investigation in the dairy. The team will collect details of the lab facility in the dairy, ghee making process, transportation and other crucial information pertaining to the case filed in Tirupati East police station.
Another internal team was assigned to collect the details of previous tenders and parties participated in the tendering process. “Also, the police teams will visit other dairies and check the quality of the ghee to ascertain the facts of quality and pricing of cow ghee,” said a senior official on the condition of anonymity.
