Tirupati Laddu Case Supreme Court Hearing Live Updates: 'We expect Gods to be kept away from politics,' SC raps Andhra govt for going to press

International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary, Jay Shah, offered prayers at the Tirumala Tirupati temple on Sunday.
Dressed in traditional attire, Jay Shah sought the deity's blessings, and temple officials honoured him.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, a manifestation of Lord Vishnu, who is believed to have descended to earth to save humanity from the hardships of the Kali Yuga. Consequently, the site is referred to as Kaliyuga Vaikuntha, and the deity is known as Kaliyuga Prathyaksha Daivam.

Earlier in the day, Jay Shah shared his thoughts after inaugurating the new National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.

The BCCI inaugurated the new National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru on Friday. This world-class facility, a result of Jay Shah's vision to nurture the future of cricket, will now be known as the BCCI Centre of Excellence.

Observing that at least the Gods should be kept out of politics, the Supreme Court on Monday questioned Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's claim that animal fat was used in making Tirupati laddus and sought proof of it. A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan noted that the chief minister made the claim on September 18, even though the FIR in the matter was lodged on September 25 and a special investigation team (SIT) was constituted on September 26. " ...it was not appropriate on the part of a higher constitutional functionary to go in public and make a statement which can affect the sentiments of crores of people," the bench said.

Supreme Court asks solicitor general Tushar Mehta to assist whether state-appointed SIT should continue with the probe or the investigation be conducted by an independent agency. The matter is now scheduled to be heard on Thursday at 3.30pm.

There was no justification for the chief minister to go to the press and make statement, says SC. The court says that the controversy is meaningless if adulterated ghee was not used for prasad. SC says that the controversy is about faith and people should not do politics over it.

The Supreme Court asked SIT, appointed to look into Tirupati Laddu row, not to proceed with probe and hints hat the investigation be handed over to Centre reappointed SIT. The SC pulled up Andhra Pradesh CM for making statement on Tirupati Laddu row when it was not confirmed that adulterated ghee was used for making prasad.

"You ordered an SIT. Till the outcome, what is the necessity to go to the press? You have been always appearing for such...this is the second time. When you hold constitutional office, it is expected that you would...we expect Gods to be kept away from polity," Justice Gavai asked.

"Unless you were sure, how did you go to public with that? What was the purpose of investigation?" questioned Justice Viswanathan.

"These petitions are not bonafide but only to attack the present government. Dr Swamy's shows clearly. I have appointed SIT," said Rohatgi, appearing for Andhra Pradesh state government.

Calling himself a devotee, senior advocate Rajshekhar Rao for Swamy said, "This is a matter of concern too. The statement made in the press about the contamination has far reaching implications and can raise a whole lot of other issues and disturb communal harmony. Dr Swamy's case is it was later pointed out that that ghee was never used. To what extent therefore should State intervention then be permitted in this? And material in public domain displays that that ghee was not used and returned from Tirumala. Because of the matter and its sensitivity it needs supervision because of the statements made. Did they have credible basis to make that? Then what is the process the TTD adopts?"

"If there is a question mark on th deity's prasadam then it has to be examined? Now with that statement made can they have a free and fair enquiry? Somebody has to answer on the formulations of the statement, because ex-facie the CM's one is negated," Bar and Bench reported him as saying.

When the hearing got scheduled for 1pm, Justice Gavai joked, "Hopefully we do not have to eat laddus at lunch."

Supreme Court says it will hear at 1 pm today a batch of petitions seeking court-monitored investigation into the allegations of use of animal fat to make laddus which were served as Prasadam at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala.

Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrives at TTD Executive Officer (EO) J Syamala Rao's residence to investigate allegations of adulteration in Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam's (TTD) prasadam laddus.

Supreme Court to shortly hear batch of pleas concerning allegations of animal fat being found in ghee used to prepare prasadam at the Andhra Pradesh temple.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu alleged during a recent NDA legislative party meeting that the erstwhile YSRCP government did not even spare Sri Venkateswara temple and used substandard ingredients and animal fats for making laddus. The allegations sparked a massive controversy across the country, hurting the sentiments of crores of Hindus. TTD is the official custodian of Lord Venkateswara temple in Tirupati.

Another plea seeks the appointment of a committee under direct monitoring of the Supreme Court or appointment of a retired SC judge with other experts to conduct an independent inquiry into the allegations of substandard ingredients and animal fat in the ghee in Tirupati Tirumala Temple. Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the adulteration of ghee used for making Tirupati laddu.

One of the pleas filed by advocate Satyam Singh seeks direction for the constitution of a judicial committee under the chairmanship of a former SC judge or a probe by CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) into the alleged "criminal conspiracy and mismanagement of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) Trust."

The plea said: "A grave violation of religious customs occurred as investigations revealed disturbing facts that non-vegetarian products, specifically bird meat (kolis), the presence of animal fat, 'lard' (pig fat), fish oil and other impurities were used in the preparation of 'prasadam'."

"This act not only violates the fundamental tenets of Hindu religious customs but also deeply wounds the sentiments of countless devotees who regard the 'prasadam' as a sacred blessing. The gravity of this situation cannot be overlooked, as it strikes at the core of our religious practices and beliefs," it added.

Further, it said that the recent violation at the Tirumala Tirupati Balaji Temple represents a grave infringement of Article 25 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to freedom of religion.

A bench comprising of Justices B. R. Gavai and K. V. Viswanathan will take up the matter for hearing on Monday.

Petitions have been filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy and YV Subba Reddy, a Rajya Sabha MP from the YSR Congress Party and former chairman of the the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), both demanding a court-monitored investigation.

The Supreme Court is set to hear several petitions on Monday regarding the controversy surrounding the alleged use of animal fat in the renowned Tirupati laddus. The issue erupted after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu claimed that animal fat had been used in the laddus distributed as 'prasad' at the Sri Venkateswara Temple during the previous YSR Congress administration, led by Jagan Mohan Reddy.