Tirupati: In a significant development in the Tirumala laddu adulteration case, it was learnt that the Supreme Court has received a sealed cover report from the Special Investigation Team (SIT) detailing the findings of its months-long inquiry. The SIT, constituted under the supervision of the apex court in October last year, comprises officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), state police, and the Central Food Safety authority.

The report, submitted two days ago, outlines the facts uncovered during the investigation, including the methods used to tamper with the laddu ingredients and the alleged involvement of several private dairy firms. It is learnt that the SIT has identified the supply of substandard ghee, prepared using chemical-based palm oil substitutes, in the making of the sacred prasadam between 2019 and 2024.

Following its formation, the SIT launched a coordinated investigation across multiple states, arresting 14 individuals so far. The arrested include directors and employees of Bholebaba Dairy, AR Dairy, and Vaishnavi Dairy, who were found to be key players in the supply chain. The team also recently questioned Appanna, the personal assistant of former TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy, along with other employees linked to the case.

The SIT’s report is also understood to cover the legal strategies adopted by the accused to stall the investigation. It includes details of several petitions filed in various courts and notes that these legal challenges have, at times, hindered the progress of the probe. Instances of witness intimidation and coordinated attempts to influence the investigation have also been brought to the court’s attention.

In one such episode, one of the accused, moved to the High Court after receiving a notice from a police officer, arguing that the officer was not part of the SIT. The court subsequently cancelled the notice, accepting his contention. The SIT, however, has reportedly flagged such incidents as part of a pattern aimed at obstructing the inquiry.

The report is expected to play a crucial role in the next phase of proceedings before the Supreme Court. While the court has yet to make the contents public, sources suggest that the SIT has made strong observations about the scale of the adulteration and the deliberate efforts by certain individuals to manipulate the supply and monitoring processes within the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams.