Tirupati: The custody period for the four individuals accused in the Tirumala laddu ghee adulteration case has concluded.

After being interrogated at the Special Investigation Team’s (SIT) temporary office, they underwent medical examinations at Ruia Hospital before being presented in the Second Additional Magistrate Court in Tirupati.

The court had earlier granted the SIT-led by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), five days of custody of the accused following a plea review on February 13.

The accused were in custody from February 14 to 18 for further investigation.

Among those implicated are Raju Rajasekaran, Managing Director of AR Dairy in Tamil Nadu, Pomil Jain and Vipin Jain, former directors of Bhole Baba Dairy in Uttarakhand, and Apoorva Vinaykant Chawda, CEO of Vaishnavi Dairy in Tirupati district. The investigation has revealed an intricate network involving these dairies, allegedly conspiring to manipulate TTD’s ghee supply tenders.

Vaishnavi Dairy reportedly functioned as a middleman, procuring ghee from Bhole Baba Dairy and supplying it to TTD through AR Dairy. NDDB Calf laboratory tests confirmed the presence of adulterants, including animal fats, triggering the probe. Reports indicate that the accused were uncooperative during questioning, prompting the SIT to consider seeking an extension of their custody. Meanwhile, their bail hearing, initially scheduled for Monday, has been deferred to Wednesday.