In a major escalation of the Tirumala laddu ghee adulteration controversy, a Nellore ACB court on Monday handed over two key accused to the Supreme Court-appointed CBI Special Investigation Team for four days of custodial interrogation. Delhi-based trader Ajay Kumar Sugandh (designated A-16) and former Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Marketing General Manager RSSV Subramanyam (A-29) will face intensive questioning from December 9 to 12 at the agency’s camp office in Tirupati, as investigators race to unravel the full extent of the conspiracy that allegedly tainted one of Hinduism’s most revered offerings.

The CBI SIT had originally sought five days of custody, but the court granted one day less while simultaneously dismissing Sugandh’s bail application in CRL MP No. 552/2025. The custody orders were formally issued under CRL MP No. 542/2025 for Sugandh and CRL MP No. 574/2025 for Subramanyam after detailed arguments concluded last week. The court’s decision underscores the gravity of allegations that substandard and adulterated ghee was systematically supplied to the Tirumala temple kitchen over an extended period.

Assistant Public Prosecutor Jayashekar argued forcefully that custodial interrogation of Subramanyam, a senior TTD insider, is indispensable for tracing critical evidence, particularly the role of private dairies suspected of manufacturing and delivering the contaminated ghee. Investigators believe Subramanyam’s disclosures could expose additional players in the supply chain and reveal how procurement protocols were bypassed to substitute inferior fats for pure ghee in the preparation of the world-famous Tirumala laddu prasadam.

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Ajay Kumar Sugandh, who continues to remain in judicial remand following the rejection of his bail plea, is accused of acting as a pivotal middleman coordinating the procurement and distribution of the adulterated material. Sources indicate the CBI plans to confront both accused with digital and documentary evidence already seized, aiming to establish the complete money trail and identify any higher-level beneficiaries who may have facilitated or turned a blind eye to the scandal.

With millions of devotees still reeling from revelations that the sacred offering was allegedly compromised, the granting of custody marks a decisive phase in the Supreme Court-monitored probe. The intense four-day interrogation is expected to yield crucial breakthroughs, helping restore public trust in the sanctity of Tirumala prasadam and ensuring strict accountability for those responsible for one of the most sensitive religious controversies in recent memory.

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