Tirupati laddu row: SC orders fresh probe, forms 5-member SIT
The Supreme Court has ordered a new investigation into the Tirupati laddu controversy. It has established a fresh five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprised of officers from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the state police, and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). A bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan is hearing the matter.
How will the team look like
The team will consist of two members from the CBI, two members from the Andhra Pradesh Police, and one member from the FSSAI. The Supreme Court stated that the investigation by the SIT will be overseen by the CBI director, emphasizing that it would not permit the court to become a "political battleground."
What Solicitor General Mehta said
"We don't want this to turn into a political drama," the bench said. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the bench that if any part of the allegations held truth, it would be unacceptable. He also proposed that the investigation by the SIT could be overseen by a senior official from the central government to ensure proper supervision.
'Keep Gods out of politics...': SC on Tirupati laddu row
Earlier, while hearing petitions about claims of animal fat in the ghee used for making laddus at Andhra's Tirupati temple, the court had raised eyebrows over the timing of Andhra Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's public reveal of a lab report alleging traces of fish oil, beef tallow, and lard in the ghee. "We expect Gods to be kept away from politics," the court said.
'False positive...': What court said
On September 30, addressing multiple petitions on the matter, the court noted the absence of definitive proof of contamination and highlighted that the state government's inquiry was still pending. Additionally, the testing laboratory had cautioned about potential "false positives" in their results.
