Supreme Court Orders SIT To Probe Into Tirupati Laddoo Row, Calls It 'Matter Of Faith'

The Supreme Court on Friday reconstituted the Special Investigation Team (SIT), initially set up by the Andhra Pradesh government to investigate the Tirupati laddoos controversy, and directed that the inquiry should now proceed under the supervision of the CBI director.

The court stated that the SIT will comprise two officers from Andhra Pradesh Police, two nominated by the CBI Director, and one from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

It further clarified that it had not addressed the allegations and counter-allegations in the case, adding, "We will not permit the court to be used as political background."

The bench, led by Justice BR Gavai, also emphasised that its order does not question the integrity of the officers in the SIT originally formed by the Andhra Pradesh government.

The Supreme Court was hearing several petitions seeking a court-monitored investigation into the alleged use of animal fat in the making of Tirupati laddoos.

The bench had deferred the hearing to Friday following a request by Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, the second-highest law officer in the country.

During a previous hearing, SG Mehta had been asked to confirm whether the SIT formed by the Andhra Pradesh Police should be allowed to continue the investigation or if it should be transferred to an independent agency.

Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh Police have temporarily halted the SIT's investigation into the alleged adulteration of the Tirupati laddoos, after the Supreme Court took up the matter.

During the initial hearing on Monday, the court observed that there was, prima facie, no evidence to support the claim that animal fat had been used in preparing the laddoos during the tenure of Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSRCP government.

It remarked that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu "should have kept the gods away from politics" before making public statements based on uncertain facts about the use of lard in the laddoos under the previous regime.

"We are, prima facie, of the view that it was not appropriate on the part of a high constitutional functionary to make a public statement that could affect the sentiments of crores of people while an investigation into whether adulterated ghee was used in making laddoos was still underway," the Supreme Court said.

The court also noted that if a SIT investigation had already been ordered by the state government, no public statements should have been made by the Chief Minister.

It further highlighted that Naidu's statement, made on 18 September, came "even before the FIR was lodged on 25 September," and the SIT was constituted the following day.