Tirupati laddu row: Supreme Court orders SIT probe; 2 CBI officers in 5-member team

The Supreme Court on Friday established an independent Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe allegations that animal fat was used in the preparation of laddus served as prasadam at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh, where Lord Venkateswara is worshipped.

A bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan emphasized the importance of the issue, noting that the sentiments of millions of devotees worldwide are tied to the Tirumala prasadam. "We don't want this to become a political drama. An independent body will instill confidence," the bench said as it disposed of the petitions.

Composition of the New SIT

The apex court ordered the formation of a new SIT, replacing the one set up by the Andhra Pradesh state government. The new SIT will consist of:

* Two officers from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), nominated by the CBI director.

* Two officers from the Andhra Pradesh state police, nominated by the state government.

* A senior official from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

The Supreme Court also specified that the SIT will be supervised by the CBI director. The court clarified that this move should not be interpreted as a reflection on the credibility of the members of the previous state-constituted SIT.

"We want to ensure this issue is not used for political purposes," the court added in its order.

Legal Arguments and Positions

During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, argued that there was nothing inherently wrong with the state-constituted SIT, suggesting that it could be supervised by a central officer. He also pointed out that if there is any truth to the allegations, it would be "unacceptable."

"Devotees are spread across the country, and food safety is a priority. I did not find any fault with the state SIT members," Mehta said.

On the other hand, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Andhra Pradesh, expressed the state's preference for continuing with its SIT but was open to the court adding an officer of its choice to the investigation team.

"There are no allegations against the current SIT," Rohatgi stated.

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Rajya Sabha MP and former TTD Chairman YV Subba Reddy, called for an independent investigation, arguing that the state SIT cannot be expected to carry out an impartial probe given prior statements made by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu.

Senior Advocate Siddhartha Luthra, appearing for Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), highlighted that the contaminated ghee consignments, which arrived on July 6 and 12, were linked to contracts awarded during the previous regime.

Previous Court Observations

In an earlier hearing, the Supreme Court questioned why the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh publicly alleged that adulterated ghee was used in the preparation of laddus, when an investigation had already been ordered by the state government.

The court was hearing multiple petitions calling for a court-monitored investigation into these allegations.

The petitions were filed by several individuals, including Subramanian Swamy, Rajya Sabha MP YV Subba Reddy, Surjit Singh Yadav of the Hindu Sena Samiti, historian Dr. Vikram Sampath, and Sudarshan TV Editor-in-Chief Suresh Chavhanke. The petitioners sought an independent investigation into the allegations made by the previous TDP-led Andhra Pradesh government regarding the use of adulterated ghee in the preparation of Tirumala laddus during the YSRCP regime.

The court’s decision to appoint a new SIT aims to ensure an impartial and thorough investigation into the matter.

ANI