The Supreme Court rejected a plea to transfer the Tirumala laddu ghee adulteration trial outside Andhra Pradesh, citing the ongoing CBI-led investigation and the presence of key witnesses in the state. The petitioner argued for a fair trial due to political statements and language barriers, but the court emphasized that trials are unaffected by external influences.
THE SUPREME COURT ON Thursday, November 5,, 2026, declined to shift the trial in the alleged Tirumala laddu ghee adulteration case from Andhra Pradesh to another state, observing that the investigation was being led by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). It rejected a plea filed by one of the accused, who argued that political statements by the state’s top leadership had created a hostile atmosphere for a fair trial.
The Supreme Court Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, and Justices Joymala Bagchi dismissed the petition filed by Machindra Shataram Lanke — a Maharashtra-based dairy businessman and managing director of Malganga Milk and Agro Products Pvt Ltd — who is one of the accused in the case concerning the supply of adulterated ghee to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
Representing Lanke, senior advocate Siddharth Dave submitted that the statements by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan had forged a politically charged environment, thereby prejudicing the right to one’s fair trial.
The petitioner, Lanke, urged the apex court to transfer the proceedings to a neighbouring state where the issue was not as politically sensitive. Clarifying the stance of the petitioner, its counsel stated that the petitioner only sought to shift it to a neighboring state and not to Delhi in any way, The News Minute reported.
Along with that, the counsel further argued that there was a language barrier, as most of the accused belonged to north India. Hence, conducting the trial in Andhra Pradesh would create further issues in its proceedings.
Despite the repeated submissions, the apex court Bench rejected the plea, citing that a number of witnesses to the case were from Andhra Pradesh. Additionally, the court also noted that the investigation by the Special Investigation Team (SIR) was being initiated by the Supreme Court itself.
“We are not inclined to transfer the trial,” the bench said, according to the reports by The New Indian Express.
In response to the concerns raised by the petitioner regarding “political statements,” the Bench observed that the courts were not influenced by any statements and the trial should proceed in Andhra Pradesh.
The Tirumala laddu controversy began in September 2024, when Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu alleged that animal fat had been used in the preparation of laddus offered as prasadam (offerings) at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala.
Naidu alleged that the adulteration had occurred during the previous Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) government led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
The allegation leveled by Naidu had triggered a major political confrontation between the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP), and the opposition YSRCP.
As the controversy ensued, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams — which administers the temple — came to acquire a central position in the controversy. Subsequently, as the issue pertained to a very sensitive issue, it reached the Supreme Court, with multiple petitions being filed to ensure an independent investigation into the alleged adulteration.
Responding to the rising concerns regarding one’s faith, the Supreme Court constituted an independent five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe into the allegations concerning the use of animal fat in the preparation of laddus.
The panel comprised two officers from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), two officers from the Andhra Pradesh Police and a senior official from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
The SIT team probed into the allegations concerning the supply of ghee to the TTD between 2019 and 2024.
A chargesheet filed by CBI-led SIT in January 2026 reported that there was no evidence of animal fat in significant quantities. In turn, the investigators alleged that synthetic ghee had been made using palm oil, palm stearin and palm kernel oil, The News Minute reported.
Simultaneously, the ED’s investigation in September 2026 alleged that manufacturers used chemicals in the ghee production, estimating the fraudulent supplies at around Rs 230 crore.
Furthermore, it also attached assets worth Rs 129.85 crore in connection with the scam.
[Rh/AR/RS]
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