The SIT officials interrogated the accused in the Tirumala Srivari Laddu ghee adulteration incident at length on the first day, Friday. Details were collected on the people who helped in winning the tender to supply ghee to TTD in 2021 and other issues. Vipin Jain and Pomil Jain were questioned on the issues of why Bholebaba Dairy get resignation of directors and vehicle drivers were appointed as directors?
SIT officials took former Bholebaba Dairy directors Vipin Jain and Pomil Jain, along with Srivaishnavi Dairy CEO Apoorva Vinayakanth Chavda and AR Dairy MD Dr. Raju Rajasekharan, into custody from Tirupati Sub Jail. After conducting medical examinations at Ruia Hospital, they were taken to the SIT office temporarily set up in the TTD building in Alipiri.
The interrogation that began at 12 noon continued till 5:30 pm. The four accused were interrogated in separate rooms. They were questioned about the areas from which milk is collected for the dairy, the procedures followed in making butter and ghee from the collected milk, and the quality of the milk.
It is learnt that the SIT questioned AR Dairy MD Rajasekharan about why he had to participate in the tenders even though he was not at the level of supplying ghee to TTD. On the first day, the SIT raised questions on the accused based on the documents seized from dairies and residences in Uttarakhand and Tamil Nadu, as well as information provided by the officials and staff of the TTD Procurement Department.
The officials inquired why they decided to supply ghee at a price lower than the market price? They were also questioned about whether they participated in the TTD tenders only after the agreement was signed with the Bholebaba Dairy managers? Based on the information provided by the SIT team in Uttarakhand, the officials here asked some more questions on the accused.
As the investigation of the accused continues for five days, the hearts of those who played key roles in the previous governing council have begun to tremble. They are worried about which names will be revealed in the investigation. There is also unrest among the employees who worked in the TTD procurement department and contributed to the irregularities.