Daijiworld Media Network – Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Jun 4: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has conducted searches at 15 locations across the country in connection with the alleged Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) ghee adulteration fraud case, officials said.
The raids were carried out on June 3 by the Hyderabad Zonal Office at multiple locations, including Ahilyanagar, Bikaner, Dehradun, Delhi, Dindigul, Guntur, Mumbai and Roorkee.
According to the ED, the searches covered the residential and office premises of several accused persons, including Pomil Jain, Vipin Jain, Raju Rajasekaran, Rajesh Mansukhlal Chavda, Apurva Vinaykanth Chavda, Machindra Shantaram Lanke, Ajay Kumar Sugandh, Mahesh Kumar Rohira and Ashish Agarwal.
During the operation, officials seized cash amounting to Rs 60 lakh and gathered evidence relating to investments in properties valued at more than Rs 45 crore, allegedly acquired using proceeds of crime. Details of several immovable properties held in the names of the accused and their family members were also obtained.
The agency also searched the dairy facilities of A.R. Dairy Food Pvt. Ltd. in Dindigul, Malganga Milk & Agro Products Pvt. Ltd. in Ahilyanagar and Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Milk Pvt. Ltd. in Roorkee.
Investigators said they recovered documents indicating the use of a complex network of companies and business entities to facilitate alleged bogus sale and purchase transactions aimed at concealing and layering illicit funds.
The money laundering probe was initiated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, based on an FIR registered against A.R. Dairy Food Pvt. Ltd. and others.
According to the allegations, the accused, in conspiracy with certain officials of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, committed criminal breach of trust and cheating by supplying adulterated ghee to the temple body, causing financial loss to TTD.
The ED said its investigation has revealed that proceeds generated through the alleged supply of adulterated ghee were subsequently invested in real estate and other assets through a web of interconnected entities to conceal the source of the funds.
Further investigation into the case is underway.