The Supreme Court on Friday declined to entertain a petition filed under Article 32 relating to the controversy over alleged adulteration of laddus offered as prasadam at the Tirumala Tirupati Temple.

The petition was filed amid claims that animal fat had been used in the preparation of the temple laddus, an issue that had earlier led the Court to transfer the investigation from the State police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

During the hearing, the petitioner referred to findings of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and statements circulating in the public domain suggesting that no animal fat had been detected in the prasadam. The petitioner argued that such statements were being made despite the matter being under investigation.

However, the Bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi noted that the issue was already under active CBI investigation, and emphasised that the Court had earlier taken note of the SIT report before entrusting the probe to the central agency. Declining to entertain the plea at this stage, the Court observed:

“The instant petition filed under Article 32 of the Constitution is nothing but an attempt to reinforce the defence plea in a criminal case that has been registered against the suspects and investigation whereof has been entrusted by this Court to the CBI.”

The Bench further stated that judicial intervention would be inappropriate while the investigation is still ongoing.

“We are not inclined to entertain this petition… especially when the investigation is still going on. The petitioner… can submit the material in their possession to the CBI for the purpose of taking the ongoing case to its logical conclusion.”

The Court clarified that any evidence or material in relation to the alleged adulteration of temple laddus should be placed before the CBI, which is currently conducting the investigation, and accordingly disposed of the petition.