Supreme Court grants major relief to CBI Director, stays HC order in Tirupati Laddoo case

News Topical, Digital Desk : The Supreme Court has given a big relief to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the case of adulteration of ghee in the famous Laddu Prasad of Tirupati temple. The court stayed the order of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, which said that the CBI violated the instructions of the Supreme Court in investigating this case. A bench of Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice B.R. Gavai heard this case on Friday. During the hearing, CJI Gavai said, 'If the SIT wants to appoint a special officer for investigation, then what is wrong in it?' The court also made it clear that there is no doubt on the members of the Special Investigation Team (SIT).

What did the High Court say?

The Andhra Pradesh High Court had said in its order that the CBI Director did not follow the 2024 Supreme Court directives during the investigation into the adulteration of ghee in Tirupati Laddu Prasad. The High Court said that the CBI Director handed over the investigation to an officer named J. Venkat Rao, who was not a part of the SIT. The High Court considered this a violation of the Supreme Court orders. During the hearing in the Supreme Court, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, on behalf of the CBI, argued that the High Court's conclusion that the officer involved in the investigation was not officially named as a member of the SIT was wrong. Mehta said that the CBI did not commit any mistake in the investigation.

CBI directed to file reply

The Supreme Court accepted the CBI's appeal and stayed the High Court's order. The court directed the CBI to file its reply in the matter. The Supreme Court also asked whether the SIT had stopped its work. The CJI asked, 'Can't some work be assigned to some other officer?' The court clarified that no questions were being raised on the functioning of the SIT. There were allegations of adulterated ghee being used in the Prasadam Laddus offered to the Lord at the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati. This matter created an uproar across the country, because the Tirupati Laddus are associated with the faith of millions of devotees.

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