Hearing in the Tirupati laddu case: On Friday, the Supreme Court established a new Special Investigation Team (SIT) consisting of five members and directed the creation of a new inquiry into the Tirupati laddu controversy. Officers from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Andhra Pradesh Police, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will make up the SIT.
Two representatives from the CBI, two from the Andhra Pradesh Police, and one from the FSSAI will be present. The CBI director will oversee the SIT investigation, the Supreme Court further declared.
On a number of petitions, including those requesting a court-monitored investigation into the situation, a bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan issued an order, stating that they would not permit the court to be used as a “political battleground.”
The bench said, “We don’t want this to become a political drama.”
Tushar Mehta, the solicitor general, said the bench that it was intolerable if there was any truth to the accusations. He proposed having a top central government official oversee the SIT’s investigation.
At its September 30 hearing, the Supreme Court requested Tushar Mehta’s assistance in determining whether the state-appointed Special Investigation Team’s investigation should proceed or whether it should be taken over by an independent body.
It had requested that the chief law officer consider the matter and offer assistance in this area.
CM Chandrababu Naidu was questioned by the Supreme Court
The bench had questioned Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s public assertion that Tirupati laddus were purportedly made using animal fat during the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government, noting that gods should be kept out of politics.
The top court had declared that the results of the laboratory test were “not clear at all” and that they suggested that “rejected ghee” had been tested.
It had mentioned that a special investigation team (SIT) was formed on September 26 to look into the incident after the state claimed that a FIR had been filed on September 25.
“It could thus be seen that a statement was made by the Chief Minister on September 18, which was even before the FIR being lodged on September 25 and the SIT being constituted on September 26,” the court stated.
“We are, prima facie, of the view that it was not appropriate on the part of a high constitutional functionary to go in public to make a statement which can affect the sentiment of crores of people and when investigation to find out adulterated ghee was used to make laddus was underway,” it had stated.
Chandrababu Naidu’s assertions
Earlier this month, Chandrababu Naidu made a huge political controversy when he stated that Tirupati laddus were made with pig fat during the previous Reddy-led government in the state.
The ruling Telugu Desam Party in the state has circulated a laboratory report to support its claims, while the YSR Congress Party has accused Naidu of engaging in “heinous allegations” for political advantage.
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