The Supreme Court, on Monday, September 30, came down heavily upon Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for making allegations in public about adulterations in ghee used to make Tirupati laddus. The court found fault with the Chandrababu Naidu government for making the allegations when the lab reports prima facie do not clearly show whether the ghee used in the laddus were adulterated.
A bench of justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan said that a “high constitutional functionary” should not have made such allegations before an investigation. The bench was hearing a batch of pleas that sought a court-monitored probe into the matter. The case has been posted for hearing on October 3.
The court also asked the government to maintain a restraint against making any provocative claims in the issue.
"There are some disclaimers in the lab report. It is not clear, and it is prima facie indicating that it was rejected ghee, which was subjected to test. If you yourself have ordered an investigation, what was the need to go to the press," the court said.
The court asked the government how they could make the allegations without being sure. While the lab results came in July, the TDP government made them public on September 18, without much credible evidence.
"You get the report in the July. 18th September you go public. Unless you are sure, how did you go public?" the court observed.
“Lab reports prima facie do not clearly show adulterated ghee was used in the laddus,” the bench observed.
On September 18, CM Chandrababu Naidu alleged that ghee contaminated with animal fat was used in the preparation of laddus in Tirupati. He blamed the previous Jagan Mohan Reddy government for the incident. The allegation kicked up a communal storm as Jagan belongs to the Christian faith.
The CM also ordered a probe by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the matter. He said that samples from four tankers of ghee were sent to the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) for analysis due to suspicion over the quality of ghee being used for making laddu. He claimed that lab reports revealed the presence of pork and beef fat. However, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the tanker containing the possibly adulterated ghee arrived at Tirupati on July 12, 2024, which was rejected and not used in the preparation of the laddus.
Slamming Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Justice Gavai said, "When you have ordered an investigation through the SIT, what was the necessity to go to the press?"
“We expect the Gods to be kept away from politics," he added.
The bench also sought the assistance of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to decide if the current SIT can continue investigating the matter or if the probe should be handed over to an independent agency.
Senior advocate Siddarth Luthra, appearing for the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) submitted at the court that only two tankers of ghee that was supplied on July 6 and July 12 were sent to NDDB for an analysis. However, he said, that the ghee which was supplied between June and July 4 were used in the production of laddus but were not sent for analysis.