SIT team grills former TTD Additional EO in Tirumala laddu case

The Central Bureau of Investigation–led Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Wednesday subjected former Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Additional Executive Officer A.V. Dharma Reddy to a second round of intense questioning in connection with the alleged use of adulterated ghee in the making of Tirumala laddus.

According to sources, the interrogation, headed by CBI DIG Murali Rambha and ASP Venkat Rao, revolved around the TTD’s procedures for assessing the quality of ingredients in the absence of an in-house laboratory. Investigators reportedly sought clarity on where the samples had been tested, whether Reddy maintained any direct links with suppliers, and how a scam of such magnitude could have occurred without his knowledge. The SIT is also said to have probed TTD’s verification of the supply capacities of firms such as Bhole Baba, Vaishnavi, and AR Dairy.

It is learnt that Reddy maintained that all tenders were floated transparently and in accordance with legal norms, and that no adulteration took place. He reportedly clarified that the supply decisions were taken with the full cognisance of the TTD Board, and that all records detailing the procurement process were available for scrutiny.

Meanwhile, the SIT is also believed to have grilled the representatives of the dairy firms accused in the controversial episode.