Amaravati, February 23, 2026: The Supreme Court has allowed Andhra Pradesh's administrative enquiry into alleged irregularities in ghee procurement for Tirumala laddus to proceed alongside the criminal case.
A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant observed that the one-man committee, set up by the state government, focuses solely on administrative lapses and responsibility distinct from the Special Investigation Team's (SIT) criminal findings, which already led to chargesheets.
The court rejected a petition by Dr. Subramanian Swamy arguing the state probe interferes with the Supreme Court-monitored SIT process. It clarified the two tracks operate independently, with no overlap after the criminal investigation concluded.
The ruling reinforces separate domains: criminal accountability through courts and internal administrative fixes by the state. This clears the path for the committee headed by a former chief secretary to identify omissions since 2019 and recommend actions, while the criminal proceedings move forward unhindered.
The decision strengthens trust in layered oversight for temple prasadam integrity, with implications for better procurement safeguards at Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) amid ongoing public scrutiny.
