Tirupati prasadam row: SC to hear CBI director plea against order saying probe agency flouted ruling

Tirupati Temple

The Supreme Court would on September 26 hear a plea challenging an order that said the CBI had acted in violation of the top court’s directions while carrying out a probe into "adulterated ghee" being used to prepare prasadam (religious offerings) at Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams in Andhra Pradesh.

A bench comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran was urged by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI director, to take up the plea on September 26 instead of September 29.

“How much time will it take?” the CJI asked, saying there were several matters on September 26.

Mehta said it would not take more than five minutes as reiterated his request.

“Ok … list it on Friday,” the CJI said.

The controversy stems from an order of the Andhra Pradesh High Court which held that the CBI director acted contrary to the Supreme Court’s directions by allowing one J Venkat Rao, an officer not formally part of the special investigation team (SIT), to carry out investigation in the case.

The high court referred to the apex court’s direction of 2024 and said it ordered the formation of an independent SIT comprising, two CBI officers, to be nominated by the Director, two officers of Andhra Pradesh Police, to be nominated by the state, and one senior official of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.

It also noted Venkat Rao was not specifically named as one of the state’s representatives in the SIT.

Consequently, the high court held that he could not assume investigative powers in the matter.

The order came on a plea filed by Kaduru Chinnappanna, who alleged harassment at the hands of Rao.

According to Chinnappanna, he was repeatedly summoned by Rao, compelled to appear before the SIT office at Tirupati, and pressured into giving “scripted false statements".

Chinnappanna claimed these proceedings were videographed and his statements were dictated under duress.