VIJAYAWADA: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday informed the Andhra Pradesh High Court that adulterated ghee, misrepresented as cow ghee, was supplied to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), and other major temples, including Kanipakam, Srikalahasti, Srisailam, Vijayawada Kanaka Durga, Dwaraka Tirumala, and Penuganchiprolu Tirupathamma, during the YSRCP regime.
CBI counsel PSP Suresh Kumar revealed that palm oil mixed with chemicals to mimic cow ghee’s colour and aroma was supplied to the temples. The investigation revealed that Bhole Baba Dairy directors Pomil Jain (A3) and Vipin Jain (A4) profited Rs 240 crore by supplying 60 lakh kg of adulterated ghee through AR Dairy and Vaishnavi Dairy.
Despite lacking capacity, these firms secured TTD contracts using forged documents from Bhole Baba Dairy, which was blacklisted in 2018. The CBI alleged that the TTD officials were bribed, and Rs 3 per litre commission was paid to AR and Vaishnavi dairies. Rejected ghee tankers were resupplied after minimal alterations. The CBI reported attempts to intimidate witnesses, including an assault on Sanjay Jain at Tirupati airport, and a fraudulent petition filed in accused Ashish Rohilla’s name.
Justice K Sreenivasa Reddy, who heard the case, reserved verdict on Vaishnavi Dairy CEO Apurva Chavda’s bail plea, and adjourned the hearing on bail petitions of Pomil Jain and Vipin Jain to June 26, directing the Special Investigation Team to submit additional details.