TIRUPATI: The Supreme Court-appointed CBI-led joint Special Investigation Team (SIT) has intensified efforts to finalise the chargesheet in the Tirumala Srivari laddu ghee adulteration case and is likely to file it shortly before the Nellore ACB Court, sources said.
Technical and legal teams are working round the clock to complete documentation within the next five days, as the probe reaches a crucial stage. The deadline fixed by the SC concluded on December 15.
After filing the chargesheet, the SIT will submit a midterm status report to the Supreme Court detailing the progress of the investigation. Sources said drafting and compilation of evidence have been underway since the probe began, with investigators consolidating financial and confession-based inputs.
“It may be recalled that the first five accused in the case are private dairy owners and directors, who allegedly played a central role in supplying adulterated ghee to the TTD. Among them, Raju Rajasekharan (A-2), Apoorva Vinay Kant Chawda (A-3), Vipin Jain (A-4), Pomil Jain (A-5) have been identified as key private dairy operators.”
So far, the SIT has arrested 36 accused in connection with the case. Of them, three remain in judicial custody without bail. Several private dairy owners arrested earlier secured conditional bail and are attending the SIT inquiry as required.
The investigation led to the arrest of senior TTD officials, including two former General Managers from the Procurement and Marketing wings, along with other staff members. Some of them are currently lodged in Nellore Central Jail under judicial remand.
Key accused former TTD Chairman aide Chinna Appanna and another prime accused Ajay Kumar Suigandh continue to remain in Nellore Central Jail, with courts yet to grant them bail. Chinna Appanna recently approached the AP HC seeking bail, and the matter has been adjourned for further hearing.
The probe gathered pace over the past month with the arrest of several crucial accused. Notably, the SIT arrested a serving TTD officer for the first time — RSSVR Subramanyam (A-29), former General Manager (Procurement and Marketing), who is working as EE-1 in TTD.
SIT findings pointed to serious lapses in the ghee quality verification process, with private dairy units allegedly flouting TTD norms.
The SIT submitted a detailed written explanation on inspection failures and how adulterated ghee entered the supply chain. Investigators said confession statements of arrested accused revealed a nexus between certain TTD dairy experts and private dairy owners, strengthening the case for filing a chargesheet.