Tirupati laddu row: SC to hear animal fat probe pleas on Monday

New Delhi: The Supreme Court is set to hear two 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 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.

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 Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), both demanding a court-monitored investigation.

A bench consisting of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan will preside over the matter.

The allegations have triggered a major political dispute, with YSRCP leader Jagan Mohan Reddy accusing CM Naidu of "blatantly lying" about the laddu controversy. He clarified that the procurement of ghee through e-tenders is a routine procedure that has been followed for decades. His party, already under fire, continues to defend itself against Naidu’s claims, especially in light of a Gujarat laboratory report that suggested traces of beef tallow, fish oil, and lard in the ghee used to make the laddus.

Subramanian Swamy, in his Public Interest Litigation (PIL), has urged the Supreme Court to instruct the Andhra Pradesh government to submit a comprehensive report on the source and sampling of the ghee used for making the laddus. He has also called for an interim direction to obtain a detailed forensic analysis from the concerned authorities to verify the allegations of adulteration.

Meanwhile, YV Subba Reddy has filed a separate PIL, demanding the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) overseen by a retired Supreme Court judge to probe the matter. He has staunchly refuted the allegations, insisting that no adulterated ghee was used in the making of the laddus.