Tirupati: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the supply of adulterated ghee for the preparation of Tirumala’s sacredladdu prasadams has made significant strides in identifying key figures behind the operation.

Officials have reportedly zeroed in on 12 individuals linked to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), including both officials and those with indirect ties.

Notices are being prepared to summon two suspects for questioning, while three others are likely to face imminent arrest. The investigation is expected to continue for another two to three months before reaching its final stage.

Last Friday, SIT officials took into custody AR Dairy MD Raju Rajasekharan, Bholebaba Dairy directors Pomil Jain and Vipin Jain, and Vaishnavi Dairy CEO Apoorva Vinaykant Chawda. Their interrogation, led by CBI Joint Director Veeresh Prabhu and DIG Murali Ramba, extended through Saturday. Investigators noted that all four provided nearly identical statements, raising suspicions of a coordinated cover-up.

A critical point of inquiry remains why A R Dairy never received an official rejection notice from the TTD for four substandard ghee tankers last July. Rajasekharan reportedly denied ever supplying ghee to TTD, claiming that Vaishnavi Dairy representatives verbally informed them about the rejection and that the tankers were redirected before reaching A R Dairy.

Amid these developments, a high-level review meeting at the SIT office in Tirupati saw CBI officials evaluating the progress and mapping out the next course of action. Investigators are scrutinising individuals across various TTD departments, including procurement, marketing, technical committees and vigilance personnel, who may have facilitated the adulterated ghee supply chain.

A former senior TTD officer and a key governing board member are expected to receive summons in the coming days, while direct arrests of three more suspects remain under serious consideration.

One of the investigation’s focal points is the glaring lapse in lab testing that allowed the substandard ghee to pass scrutiny unnoticed. Additionally, SIT is examining the role of a Chennai-based individual with considerable influence during the previous YSRCP regime, suspected of orchestrating the scheme.

To bolster the probe, the State government has deployed additional personnel, with Karampudi CI Srinivas Rao joining the team on Saturday itself and Tirupati SC/ST Cell DSP Narasingappa assuming duties on Monday.