New Delhi |The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a plea for transferring the trial in the Tirupati 'laddus' ghee adulteration case out of Andhra Pradesh.

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi dismissed the petition filed by accused Machindra Shantaram Lanke, a Maharashtra-based dairy industry businessman and the Managing Director of Malganga Milk and Agro Products Pvt Ltd, in the case.

Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for Lanke, submitted that the political leaders were continuing to make statements regarding the case, which has created a hostile atmosphere for free trial.

"It has become a political issue. There is a hostile environment in the state. The chief minister and the deputy chief minister are continuously making statements with regard to the case," Dave said.

Dave said even though the forensic report has ruled out the presence of animal fat in the ghee, the political leaders were indulging in making such statements.

"Please transfer the case to the adjoining state, for free and fair trial. Most of the accused are from North India. There is also a language barrier," he submitted, adding that although the trial judge might not be influenced by the comments, a fair prosecution cannot be expected in such a scenario.

CJI Kant told Dave, "We have silenced them all with our order. If something happens, you can come to us".

Dave submitted, "Please see the kind of statements that are being made. It causes prejudice to me in my trial. Nobody is immune from it. The trial will be in a very politically hostile environment. The only person who will suffer is me. I am being used in the fight between politicians. I am not even asking that it be brought here. Just any neighbouring state. After all, it is a CBI prosecution; most of the accused are from the north, there is a strong language barrier."

The bench, however, expressed disinclination, saying there are a number of witnesses, who are from the state and it will affect the trial.

It pointed out that the investigation was done by a Special Investigation Team constituted by the Supreme Court itself.

"We are not inclined to transfer the trial. Dismissed," the bench ordered.

On October 4, 2024, the top court set up a five-member independent SIT to probe the allegations of animal fat used in preparing Tirupati laddus to "assuage the feelings of crores of people" while making clear that the court cannot be used as a "political battleground".

The development had assumed significance as the top court-appointed panel substituted the Andhra Pradesh government's special investigation team (SIT) constituted on September 26, 2024, to probe the politically sensitive row over the alleged use of animal fat in laddus.

It had directed that the independent SIT will comprise two officers each from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Andhra Pradesh Police besides a senior official of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

The court had said in the independent SIT, the two officers from the CBI would be nominated by its director while the two officers from the Andhra Pradesh Police would be named by the state government. The FSSAI chairperson would nominate a senior officer of the authority to be a part of the SIT, it had said.

It had directed that the SIT shall work under the supervision of the CBI director.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had claimed earlier that animal fat was used in preparing Tirupati laddus during the previous Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy-led regime in the state, triggering a massive political row.

The YSR Congress Party accused Naidu of indulging in "heinous allegations" for political gains while the ruling Telugu Desam Party in the state has circulated a laboratory report to back its claim.

The apex court had passed the order on a batch of pleas, including those seeking a court-monitored probe into the alleged use of animal fat in making the laddus.