Supreme Court refuses to transfer Tirupathi ghee adulteration case out of Andhra Pradesh
CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigations into the case had revealed a ₹250 crore scam involving the supply of 68 lakh kg of fake and synthetic ghee to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) between 2019 and 2024
On November 5, 2026, the Supreme Court declined to move the Tirupathi laddu ghee adulteration case investigation outside Andhra Pradesh. Senior advocate Siddharth Dave argued on behalf of Machindra Shantaram Lanke, a prime suspect from Maharashtra, stating that the environment in Andhra Pradesh was politically charged. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) uncovered a scheme where AR Dairy sourced ghee from Roorkee's Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Private Limited, then transferred it to Vaishnavi Dairy, which supplied it to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) using fake GST invoices, false lab reports, and bogus warranty certificates.
The CBI and Directorate of Enforcement (ED) investigations uncovered a ₹250 crore fraud involving the distribution of 68 lakh kg of fake and synthetic ghee to TTD between 2019 and 2024. Despite the opposition from the state's Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, the Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant, stated that the CBI wasn't swayed by any political commentary.
The Court dismissed the plea to relocate the trial, emphasizing their determination to proceed with the case in Andhra Pradesh.
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