SIT seeks action against three officials in adulterated ghee case

A significant development has occurred in the case of supplying adulterated ghee to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which investigated the incident that took place during the YSRCP government's tenure, has written to the government recommending disciplinary action against the then and current Executive Officer Anil Kumar Singhal, the then Additional Executive Officer Dharma Reddy, and the Financial Advisor and Chief Accounts Officer Balaji. The SIT made these recommendations as the final part of its 14-page report, after filing a charge sheet in court in the adulterated ghee case. It stated that they acted in a manner that weakened the quality standards in ghee supply and that negligence in formulating the rules led to a compromise in the quality of the ghee. In this context, the government has decided to transfer EO Anil Kumar Singhal, and the orders are likely to be issued on Saturday or Sunday.

According to the SIT report, the stringent rules that were in effect before 2019 were revised after the YSRCP government came to power. Key eligibility criteria for dairies participating in tenders, such as milk and butter procurement and ghee manufacturing capacity, were relaxed. Changes were also made, such as granting an exemption to the three-year operational experience rule and reducing the turnover limit from Rs. 250 crore to Rs. 150 crore. The SIT clarified that it was due to these relaxations that approximately 68.17 lakh kilograms of adulterated ghee were supplied to the TTD between 2019 and 2024.