Tirupati Laddu Row: SC Orders New SIT Probe Into Ghee Adulteration

Vijayawada: The Supreme Court has ordered an inquiry into the allegation that adulterated ghee was used for laddu prasadam preparations at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams. A five-member, independent Special Investigation Team (SIT) would undertake the probe under the supervision of the CBI director.

A division bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan heard a batch of five writ petitions in New Delhi on Friday.

The court observed, “To assuage the feelings of crores of people/devotees, we find that an investigation should be conducted by an independent SIT consisting of two representatives each from CBI and Andhra Pradesh government and a representative from Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).”

The court stated, “We find that it will be appropriate that the investigation is carried out under the supervision of the director of CBI.”

“We, however, clarify that the instant order passed by this court should not be construed as any reflection on the independent mind or the fairness of the officers of the SIT constituted by AP government. We are passing the order regarding entrustment of this matter to an independent agency only to assuage the feeling of crores of people/devotees having faith in the deity,” it said.

The court said, “At the outset, we clarify that we have not gone into the allegations and counter allegations made in either of the petitions or the stand of the respondents. We would not permit the court to be used as a political battleground.”

The court observed that the petitions filed by the petitioners sought reliefs including the formation of a committee of a retired judge of the SC or a retired chief justice of the high court for a deeper probe into the allegations.

It noted that an FIR was registered by the AP state police, saying that the ghee received in two tankers on 06-07-2024 and in two more tankers on 12-07-2024 from the same supplier was found to be adulterated. It was alleged in the FIR that the adulterated ghee was used in the preparation of laddu prasadam.

Such an allegation, the apex court noted, had the potential to hurt the sentiments of crores of the temple’s devotees worldwide.

The court said that on Sept 30, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was asked to state whether the investigation could be continued by the SIT of AP or by another investigating agency. He responded that all the members of the state SIT were having a good reputation.

The solicitor general also stated that there would be no issue if the investigation is done by the SIT of AP. He proposed that the court direct an officer of the central government, senior to the members of SIT of AP, to supervise the investigation.

In the course of hearing, Justice Gavai asked TTD’s counsel Siddarth Luthra on the statement of AP chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, as reported in the media, that he had no objection to any investigation ordered by the apex court.

MP and former TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy’s counsel Kapil Sibal pressed for an independent investigation. The SIT of AP could not be expected to carry out an independent investigation as the chief minister already took a stand that the ghee was adulterated.

AP government counsel Mukul Rohatgi submitted that the lab report from the National Dairy Development Board came in July. It was on that basis the CM made the statement with regard to “adulteration of ghee used for laddu preparation of TTD with animal fat.”

Kapil Sibal asked how the CM knew about ghee’s adulteration with lard (animal fat). Rohatgi replied that the lab report said so. Sibal countered it by saying that the lab report referred to vegetable fats.

Justice Viswanathan told Luthra that two consignments of ghee received on July 6 and 12 were not used, as was stated by TTD chairman. To this, Luthra said the ghee consignments that reached the hill on both the days were contaminated.

Sibal asked as to why such contaminated ghee was allowed to reach the hill shrine. Luthra said the contract was given to the supplier in December last by the YSRC dispensation at TTD.

Justice Gavai concluded that an independent SIT may investigate the matter in place of the present state SIT. Following this, the court dictated the order and disposed of the petitions of Subramanian Swamy, former TTD chairman YV Subba Reddy, Suresh Chavhanke and Vikram Sampath.