The Supreme Court on Thursday, November 5, dismissed a petition seeking to transfer the Tirumala laddu ghee adulteration case trial outside Andhra Pradesh.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi refused to entertain the plea filed by Machindra Shantaram Lanke, Managing Director of Maharashtra-based Malganga Milk and Agro Products Pvt Ltd. He is among the accused in the case.
Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate Siddharth Dave argued that political statements surrounding the controversy had created an atmosphere that could affect a fair trial in Andhra Pradesh.
The counsel referred to remarks made by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan. He argued that the case had become a political issue and expressed concerns about the possibility of prejudice during the trial.
The petitioner sought to move the proceedings to a neighbouring state, citing the political atmosphere in Andhra Pradesh and language difficulties faced by some accused.
However, the Supreme Court was not inclined to accept these arguments. The bench pointed out that the investigation had been conducted by a Special Investigation Team constituted under its own directions.
The court also observed that most witnesses and evidence connected with the case were located in Andhra Pradesh. It therefore declined to transfer the trial to another state.
The Tirumala laddu controversy concerns allegations that adulterated ghee was supplied for the preparation of the famous prasadam at the Sri Venkateswara temple.
A Supreme Court-directed, CBI-led Special Investigation Team investigated the allegations and filed its final chargesheet in January 2026, naming 36 accused.
The latest decision means the trial will remain in Andhra Pradesh. However, the dismissal of the transfer petition does not determine the guilt or innocence of the accused, which remains a matter for the trial court.
