The court questioned why the chief minister made such statements when the matter was under investigation. The bench observed that lab reports prima facie indicated that results were of the rejected ghee samples.
Published Sep 30, 2024 | 3:40 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 01, 2024 | 11:05 AM
Supreme Court pulls up Andhra CM Naidu for 'animal fat in Tirumala laddu' claim
The Supreme Court on Monday, 30 September, criticised Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for making allegations about the use of adulterated ghee to prepare the Laddu prasadam at Tirumala Tirupati Temple.
The court questioned why the chief minister made such statements when the matter was under investigation. The bench observed that the lab report prima facie indicated that the lab reports were of the rejected ghee samples.
A bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan asked Solicitor General (SG) of India Tushar Mehta to seek instructions from the Union government on whether an investigation by any central investigation agency was required.
The matter was posted for further hearing on Thursday.
The hearing that lasted for almost an hour witnessed the court intensely questioning the state government and the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) and said: “We expect the gods to be kept away from the politicians.”
“The petition pertains to sentiments affecting crores of people living in the entire world. The chief minister of Andhra Pradesh had made public a statement that animal fat was being used to make Tirupati laddus under the previous regime. However, some press reports showed that the Chief Executive Officer of the Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam made a statement that such adulterated ghee was never used. The petitions have been filed seeking various prayers including an independent enquiry and directions for regulating the affairs of the religious trusts and specifically the manufacture of prasadam,” the court said, reported LiveLaw.
Senior Advocate Siddarth Luthra, appearing for the TTD, said the ghee shipments by the same supplier from June till 4 July were not sent to analysis.
It was the ghee received on two tankers each on 6 July and 12 July that were sent to the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).
The state government submitted that in all four samples, the ghee was found to be adulterated and added that the ghee in the samples supplied till 4 July was used in the production of laddus.
“Admittedly, even according to the state government, an investigation was necessary and SIT (Special Investigation Team) was formed to investigate the FIR dated 25 September. It could, therefore, be said that the statement made by the chief minister was prior to the FIR and the constitution of the SIT as he had gone public on 18 September,” the court noted.
“We are prima facie of the view that when the investigation was under process, it was not appropriate for the high constitutional authority to make a statement which can affect the sentiments of crores of people. In that view of the matter, we find that it would be appropriate if the learned SG assists us on whether the SIT by the state should continue or the investigation should be by an independent agency,” the court added.
“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 investigation, what was the need to go to press,” Justice Viswanathan asked Senior Advocates Mukul Rohatgi representing the Andhra Pradesh government.
“This report prima facie indicates that this is not the material which was used in the preparation of the laddus,” Justice Viswanathan observed.
“When you have ordered an investigation through the SIT, what was the necessity to go to the press?” Justice Gavai asked the State. “When you hold a constitutional office…we expect the Gods to be kept away from the politicians,” Justice Gavai said.
“You get the report in the July. You go public on 18 September. Unless you are sure, how did you go public?” Justice Viswanathan asked.
“Whether that ghee was used in the preparation of the laddus?” Justice Gavai asked.
“We have ordered an investigation,” Senior Advocate Siddhath Luthra, for the TTD, said.
“When somebody gives a report like you, does not prudence dictate that you take a second opinion? First of all, there is no proof that this ghee was used. And there is no second opinion,” Justice Viswanathan said.
The court questioned the chief minister on why he made a public statement even after ordering an investigation.
“When you have ordered the investigation, what was the need for going public? This is a matter of the sentiments of the lakhs of devotees,” Justice Gavai said.
Luthra said that there were complaints regarding the quality of laddus and possible contamination. He also said that the lab report of the NDDB showed contamination and the nature of contamination was under enquiry.
Justice Viswanathan reiterated his observation that these lab tests are routine tests and they are done to justify the rejection of a ghee lot. There is nothing concrete to show that this ghee sample was actually used to make the religious offerings, Justice Viswanathan added, saying that it was not the stage for making public comments.
The bench said that it was of the view that the matter required investigation but the question was whether it should be done by the present Special Investigation Team constituted by the State.
Justice Gavai asked Luthra about the statement of the TTD official that the contaminated ghee was never used and asked him to get specific instructions from the TTD.
At least four petitions seeking a probe into the allegations have been filed before the top court, including former MP Dr Subramanian Swamy, YSRCP leader and former TTD chairperson YV Subba Reddy.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has made a sensational allegation, that animal fat was used for preparing laddus during the YSRCP regime at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala.
Several media outlets, without any background checks, propagated the chief minister’s claim, which snowballed into a national issue.
On 19 September, when South First inquired about the issue, an official working at the temple said animal fat has never been used in the history of TTD to prepare the famous laddus.
South First had also questioned the chief minister’s claim using a report from July that the laddus made during the tenure of the previous government were adulterated since the sample for testing was sent to laboratories on 9 July— under the TDP-JSP-BJP regime.
The Ghee Committee report, accessed by South First, and submitted in September’s first week, categorically mentions that the shelf life of ghee is seven days. If the sample was sent for testing on 9 July or 17 July, the consignment, logic suggests, should have arrived a few days prior.
Moreover, every consignment of ghee to TTD is tested before it is accepted. Over a period of just one year, some 20 to 25 tankers of ghee from suppliers have been rejected and sent back by TTD for not matching up to quality standards.
Testing of samples and rejection of consignments is a routine practice at TTD when supply has been found to be sub-par.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil)
