Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government has set up a one-person committee to investigate alleged administrative lapses in the supply of adulterated and substandard ghee to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). The decision comes in the wake of a chargesheet filed by a Supreme Court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT).
Panel Appointment and Mandate
The government issued Government Order 458 on Friday, appointing retired IAS officer Dinesh Kumar (RR-1983) to head the committee. The panel has been given 45 days to submit its report.
The move follows the SIT’s filing of a chargesheet before the court on January 23, 2026, after probing allegations of adulterated and substandard ghee supplied to the TTD. The SIT had also submitted a Self-Contained Note (SCN) recommending appropriate action against erring committee members and senior TTD officers for lapses and procedural failures in enforcing ghee tender conditions.
Supreme Court-Monitored SIT Investigation
The case reached the Supreme Court, which on October 4, 2024, entrusted the matter to an independent SIT under the supervision of the Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The SIT completed its investigation and highlighted administrative and governance lapses that warranted further scrutiny by the state government.
Responsibilities of the Committee
The Dinesh Kumar-led panel has been tasked to:
- Examine administrative lapses, omissions, and failures in tender enforcement and relaxation.
- Assess whether decisions were taken with due diligence, justification, and procedural compliance.
- Identify the extent of administrative responsibility of TTD officers, committee members, or functionaries.
- Recommend appropriate administrative or disciplinary action.
- Restrict the review strictly to administrative and governance aspects, without interfering in ongoing court proceedings.
The committee is empowered to call for records, seek written explanations, and obtain expert assistance with prior government approval. TTD has been instructed to provide full secretarial and administrative support to the panel.
Deadline and Further Action
The committee must submit its report within 45 days from the issuance of the order. The report will be recommendatory in nature, and the Andhra Pradesh government will examine the findings to decide further administrative or disciplinary actions.
This step is part of the state government’s effort to ensure transparency, accountability, and adherence to procedural compliance in the management of TTD affairs.
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