Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], July 3 : The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday granted bail to Pomil Jain, Vipin Jain, and Apurva Chavda, accused in the high-profile case concerning the alleged supply of adulterated cow ghee to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
The accused were represented by Senior Advocate S. Sriram and Advocate Sushil Kumar, the Managing Partner of Kumar Legal Research LLP, who jointly argued the matter before the High Court.
The bench of Justice Srinivas Reddy allowed the bail pleas after finding serious discrepancies in the investigation. The Court granted relief to Pomil Jain and Vipin Jain, Directors of Bhole Baba Organic Dairymilk Pvt. Ltd., and Apurva Chavda, CEO of Vyshnavi Dairy. The accused had been in judicial custody since February 2025.
Previously, during the proceedings, the defence counsel strongly contested the manner in which the investigation had progressed. They pointed out that the accused had been initially summoned merely as witnesses, yet were later arrested and incarcerated for an extended period without a sufficient legal basis.
The case stems from an FIR lodged by the General Manager of TTD, alleging that the suppliers had violated tender conditions and delivered adulterated cow ghee meant for use in the sacred rituals at the Tirumala temple. Investigations revealed the ghee allegedly originated from Bhole Baba Organic Dairy, passed through Vyshnavi Dairy, and was ultimately supplied by AR Dairy to TTD.
The probe is being led by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in coordination with a multi-agency Special Investigation Team (SIT).
Arguing for the petitioners, Senior Counsel S. Sriram and Advocate Sushil Kumar highlighted procedural lapses and irregularities in the investigation. They particularly questioned the delay in lodging FIRs relating to alleged witness intimidation asserting that although SIT and CBI raised the claims in March and April, formal FIRs were filed only in June, suggesting an element of afterthought.
The defence further informed the Court that a police officer, not part of the Supreme Court-appointed SIT, had continued to involve himself in the investigation an issue previously flagged by another bench of the High Court as irregular and improper.
On the other side, CBI Standing Counsel PSP Suresh Kumar defended the probe, asserting that all actions taken were within the bounds of law and duly sanctioned by the magistrate.
The petitioners reiterated their full cooperation with the investigation. They assured the Court of their willingness to comply with stringent bail conditions including travel restrictions, routine reporting to authorities, and non-interference with witnesses.