SC rejects plea to shift Tirupati laddu adulteration trial outside Andhra

• The Supreme Court rejects a plea to shift the Tirupati laddu adulteration trial outside Andhra Pradesh, citing insufficient grounds

• The CBI-led SIT found no animal fat in the tested ghee samples but concluded they contained adulterants, including vegetable oils and laboratory esters

• The ED has launched a money-laundering probe into alleged financial irregularities linked to the case, which remains politically contentious in Andhra Pradesh

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to transfer the trial in the alleged Tirupati laddu adulteration case outside Andhra Pradesh, observing that the petitioners had failed to establish sufficient grounds for shifting the proceedings to another state.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justice Joymalya Bagchi passed the order while hearing a criminal transfer petition filed by Machindra Shantaram Lanke and M/s Malganga Milk and Agro Products, seeking to move the trial outside Andhra Pradesh.

Appearing for the petitioners, senior advocate Siddharth Dave argued that repeated political statements by Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan had raised concerns about the fairness of the prosecution.

"Prosecution has to be fair," Dave submitted, urging the court to transfer the proceedings to a neighbouring state where the case would not carry the same political and emotional significance.

Responding to the submission, the CJI-led Bench observed that the Supreme Court had already "silenced them all with our order". It added that the petitioners could approach the court again if similar concerns arose in the future.

The Bench accordingly declined to grant the transfer request, holding that no case had been made out for shifting the trial outside Andhra Pradesh.

The latest development comes against the backdrop of the politically sensitive controversy over allegations that ghee used to prepare the laddus offered as prasadam at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirupati had been adulterated.

The controversy erupted in September 2024 after chief minister Chandrababu Naidu alleged that animal fat had been used in the preparation of the temple's laddus during the previous YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government.

On 30 September 2024, the Supreme Court criticised Naidu for making public statements about the alleged adulteration while an investigation was underway.

The court had observed that "we expect the Gods to be kept away from politics".

Subsequently, on 4 October 2024, the apex court entrusted the investigation to an independent Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the supervision of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director.

The CBI-led SIT completed its investigation and submitted its final charge sheet before an Anti-Corruption Bureau court in Nellore on 23 January 2026.

The charge sheet referred to findings from the ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute in Karnal, which examined four sealed ghee samples collected by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) from tankers supplied in July 2024.

According to the laboratory findings cited in the charge sheet, the samples did not contain lard or animal fat.

However, investigators concluded that the ghee had been adulterated using a mixture of vegetable oils and laboratory esters allegedly designed to mimic the chemical characteristics of dairy products.

The findings added another dimension to the controversy, which had initially centred on allegations of animal fat being used in the preparation of the temple's prasadam.

Apart from the CBI-led investigation, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to investigate alleged financial irregularities linked to the case.

The controversy has continued to trigger political exchanges in Andhra Pradesh, with Naidu reiterating his allegations against the previous YSRCP government in March 2026.

He accused the previous government of attempting to damage the reputation of the Tirupati temple and spreading misleading claims about the CBI-led SIT report.

The Supreme Court's latest order means the trial will continue in Andhra Pradesh, while the petitioners retain the option of approaching the apex court again if fresh grounds for seeking a transfer arise.

With IANS inputs