The Supreme Court on Friday said it would hear on September 26 a plea challenging a ruling that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had acted in violation of its earlier directions while probing allegations of adulterated ghee being used for preparing prasadam at the famed Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) in Andhra Pradesh.
A bench led by Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran agreed to advance the hearing from September 29 after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI Director, requested an earlier date. “How much time will it take?” the CJI asked, noting that several matters were already listed for September 26. Mehta assured the court that the hearing would not take more than five minutes. “Ok… list it on Friday,” the CJI said.
The controversy arises from an Andhra Pradesh High Court order which held that the CBI Director had acted contrary to Supreme Court directions by permitting J Venkat Rao, an officer not formally part of the designated Special Investigation Team (SIT), to conduct investigation in the case.
In its 2024 ruling, the Supreme Court had ordered the constitution of an independent SIT comprising:
- Two CBI officers nominated by the CBI Director,
- Two Andhra Pradesh Police officers nominated by the state, and
- One senior official from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
The High Court pointed out that Venkat Rao was not named as one of the SIT’s members and therefore could not assume investigative powers in the matter.
The High Court’s ruling came on a plea filed by Kaduru Chinnappanna, who alleged harassment at the hands of Rao. Chinnappanna claimed he was repeatedly summoned, compelled to appear before the SIT office at Tirupati, and pressured into giving “scripted false statements.” He further alleged that his statements were videographed and dictated under duress.
The Supreme Court will now examine whether the CBI overstepped the boundaries of its mandate in the sensitive investigation concerning adulteration of ghee used in the preparation of prasadam at Tirumala. The matter, which intertwines faith, food safety, and investigative propriety, is scheduled for hearing on September 26.
