Keeping in mind that the sentiments of crores of devotees of Tirupati are being affected by the allegations of using ghee adulterated with animal fat in Tirupati Prasad Laddus, the Supreme Court has constituted a five-member independent SIT to satisfy them. The five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) will investigate the allegations of adulteration.
The SIT will have two officers from the CBI, two officers from the Andhra Pradesh Police, and one officer from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). This SIT will work under the supervision of the CBI Director.
Will not let the court become a political arena - Supreme Court
While hearing the case on Friday, expressing objection to the allegations and counter-allegations by the current government of Andhra Pradesh and the petitioners against each other, the apex court said that it will not allow this court to be made a political arena. The bench of Justice BR Gavai and KV Vishwanathan gave this order while hearing the petitions seeking an impartial investigation into the allegations of use of adulterated ghee in Tirupati Prasad Laddus.
However, the court has clarified that its order to form the SIT should not be linked to or considered as questioning the impartiality and independence of the officials of the state government's SIT which is conducting the investigation.
Sentiments of crores of devotees hurt due to allegations of adulteration.
The court said that the sentiments of crores of devotees have been hurt due to the allegations of adulteration and the court believes that to calm the sentiments of the people and satisfy them, the investigation should be done by an independent SIT. In the last hearing, the court had raised questions about Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's statement in the media about adulteration in Laddus without completing the investigation.
The court had said that till now there is no prima facie evidence of adulteration in Laddus. The court had asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared on behalf of the Centre, to tell at the next hearing whether the investigation of the case should continue with the SIT formed by the state or it should be given to an independent SIT.
On Friday, Mehta told the court that he had found out about the members of the SIT formed by the state government, all of them are people of good reputation, and there is no harm in continuing their investigation, only for the supervision of the SIT, an officer of the central government can be included in it.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had brought the matter to the fore.
The controversy in this matter arose when Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu stated in the media on September 18 that adulterated ghee containing animal fat had been used in the laddus of Tirupati Prasad. He also made the lab investigation report public in this regard and also formed an SIT for investigation. Meanwhile, several petitions were filed in the Supreme Court in which a demand was made to investigate under the supervision of a retired judge.
Chandrababu and Jagan both welcomed the Supreme Court's order to form SIT.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy have both welcomed the Supreme Court's order to form an SIT to investigate the use of adulterated ghee in Tirupati temple's prasad laddus.
Chandrababu said in a post on Instagram that he welcomes the Supreme Court's order. Satyameva Jayate. Later in the evening, he reached Tirupati temple with his wife Bhuvaneshwari, and offered pattu vastralu (silk cloth) to the Lord.
At the same time, Jagan Mohan claimed that the Supreme Court has reprimanded Naidu by canceling the SIT formed by the Chief Minister. Naidu should apologize to the people for misleading them.
The former Chief Minister said that Naidu has no faith in God. He can also use God for political gain. He is praying to God that Naidu's sins do not cost the people of the state heavily. His influence remained limited only to the Chief Minister and his alliance.
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