Supreme Court refuses to transfer Tirupati laddu case trial to another state

The Supreme Court rejected an accused's plea to shift the Tirupati laddu case trial from Andhra Pradesh. The bench cited local witnesses and its independently constituted SIT while dismissing concerns over political hostility.

In Short

• Accused dairy businessman cited political statements and a hostile trial atmosphere
• Petitioner also flagged language barriers affecting several North Indian accused
• Bench noted shifting proceedings would significantly inconvenience numerous local witnesses

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to transfer the trial in the Tirupati laddus ghee adulteration case out of Andhra Pradesh, news agency Press Trust of India reported.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi dismissed a petition filed by accused Machindra Shantaram Lanke, a Maharashtra-based dairy businessman and managing director of Malganga Milk and Agro Products Pvt Ltd.

Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for Lanke, argued that continued statements by political leaders about the case had created a hostile atmosphere for a free and fair trial.

“It has become a political issue. There is a hostile environment in the state. The chief minister and the deputy chief minister are continuously making statements with regard to the case,” Dave said.

He said political leaders were making such statements even though the forensic report had ruled out the presence of animal fat in the ghee.

“Please transfer the case to the adjoining state, for free and fair trial. Most of the accused are from North India. There is also a language barrier,” Dave submitted. He added that while the trial judge might not be influenced by the comments, a fair prosecution could not be expected in such circumstances.

Chief Justice Kant told Dave, “We have silenced them all with our order. If something happens, you can come to us.”

Dave replied, “Please see the kind of statements that are being made. It causes prejudice to me in my trial. Nobody is immune from it. The trial will be in a very politically hostile environment. The only person who will suffer is me. I am being used in the fight between politicians. I am not even asking that it be brought here. Just any neighbouring state. After all, it is a CBI prosecution; most of the accused are from the north, there is a strong language barrier.”

The bench, however, said several witnesses were from Andhra Pradesh and transferring the case would affect the trial. It also noted that the investigation had been conducted by a Special Investigation Team constituted by the Supreme Court.

“We are not inclined to transfer the trial. Dismissed,” the bench ordered, according to PTI.

On October 4, 2024, the Supreme Court constituted a five-member independent SIT to investigate allegations that animal fat had been used to prepare Tirupati laddus. The court said the move was intended to “assuage the feelings of crores of people” and made it clear that the court could not be used as a “political battleground”.

The Supreme Court-appointed panel replaced the Andhra Pradesh government's SIT, which had been formed on September 26, 2024, to investigate the politically sensitive controversy.

The independent SIT was to comprise two officers each from the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Andhra Pradesh Police, along with a senior official from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.

The court said the CBI director would nominate the agency's two officers, while the Andhra Pradesh government would name the two state police officers. The FSSAI chairperson would nominate a senior official from the authority. The SIT was directed to work under the supervision of the CBI director.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had earlier claimed that animal fat was used to prepare Tirupati laddus during the previous Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government, triggering a political row.

The YSR Congress Party accused Naidu of making “heinous allegations” for political gains, while the ruling Telugu Desam Party circulated a laboratory report in support of its claim.

The Supreme Court had constituted the independent SIT while hearing several petitions, including those seeking a court-monitored investigation into the alleged use of animal fat in the laddus. It has now rejected Lanke's request to move the trial from Andhra Pradesh, citing the presence of several witnesses in the state and the court-supervised investigation.

- Ends