NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday constituted a fresh and independent special investigation team to conduct probe into allegations of use of animal fat in making Tirupati laddus.
The special investigation team (SIT) will comprise two officials each from the CBI and the Andhra Pradesh Police besides a senior FSSAI official.
The apex court said that the new SIT would inspire confidence and replaced the earlier SIT formed by the Andhra Pradesh Government. A two-judge bench, led by Justice B.R. Gavai and also comprising Justice K.V. Viswanathan, issued the order after hearing a series of petitions alleging the use of adulterated ghee in the preparation of the laddu, seeking a thorough investigation.
The court clarified that it had not examined the merits of the allegations regarding the laddu adulteration, emphasising that it would not permit the Supreme Court to be used for political purposes.
"We don't want this to turn into a political drama," the bench observed.
The bench highlighted the need for a thorough investigation due to the sentiments of millions of devotees associated with the Tirupati laddu.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had earlier asserted that there was nothing inherently wrong with the state SIT and proposed that it could be supervised by a central officer. However, the Supreme Court decided to proceed with its own independent investigation.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Andhra Pradesh, expressed a preference to continue with the SIT constituted by the state, suggesting that any officer of the court's choice could be added to the team. He defended the credibility of the earlier SIT, stating that there were no allegations against its members.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing former TTD Chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy, urged the court for an independent investigation.
The Supreme Court had previously criticised Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for his comments regarding the use of contaminated ghee in the laddu preparation, made prior to the registration of an FIR and the initiation of an SIT probe.
The court noted that Naidu's public statement on September 18 lacked justification and occurred when a state investigation was already underway. It pointed out that there was no solid evidence indicating that contaminated ghee had been used, as only one of the five suppliers had been found to have supplied tainted products.
Petitions had been filed in the Supreme Court following Naidu's statement, including one from BJP leader Dr Subramanian Swamy, seeking a court-monitored investigation into the alleged use of animal fat in laddu at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala.
Swamy's plea highlighted the necessity for checks and balances to ensure the quality of ingredients used in the temple's offerings and criticized the handling of test results. He requested that the State of Andhra Pradesh submit a detailed report regarding the source and quality of the ghee used in making the laddu.
In a related development, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) also appealed to the top court to take suo motu cognizance of the allegations and initiate a probe to identify those responsible for the alleged adulteration.
Former TTD chairperson Y.V. Subba Reddy and other leaders expressed their concerns regarding the use of animal fat in laddu, further emphasizing the community's outrage over the matter.
Public Interest Litigations (PILs) were also filed, with one by Surjit Singh Yadav, who argued that the alleged use of animal fat in laddu violated the sacred principles of Hinduism and outraged the sentiments of the community.
The Supreme Court underscored the need for sensitivity in handling such allegations, asserting that any statements made by high-ranking officials during ongoing investigations could impact the sentiments of millions. The bench called for the Solicitor General to seek instructions from the Central Government regarding the need for an independent investigation.
TDP welcomes SC's decision
The ruling Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh welcomed the Supreme Court's decision on constituting an independent SIT to probe into allegations of use of animal fat in making Tirupati laddus.
TDP spokesperson Pattabhiram Kommareddy said the state government's intention is to bring out the truth and punish culprits who played with the sentiments of crores of devotees of Lord Venkateswara Swamy.
"We welcome the Supreme Court's direction. We don't have any issue with it. Crores of Hindus across the globe are demanding to put those people (culprits) behind bars and give them stringent punishment because they have played with their sentiments," the TDP spokesperson told PTI.
During a NDA meeting in the southern state last month, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had alleged that the erstwhile YSRCP government did not even spare Sri Venkateswara temple and used substandard ingredients and animal fats for making laddus, which are revered and sought after by crores of devotees.
The allegations sparked a massive controversy across the country, hurting the sentiments of crores of Hindus.
