Tirupati Laddu Row: Supreme Court Forms Independent SIT
New Delhi | Desk: Supreme Court formed an independent Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe allegations of adulterated ghee being used in the preparation of laddus offered as prasadam at the Tirumala Tirupati Temple.
The Court emphasized that appointing an independent body would bolster public confidence and, as a result, replaced the SIT initially established by the Andhra Pradesh government. The new SIT will include 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, and a senior official from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The investigation will be overseen by the CBI Director.
The Court stressed that the decision was made to address the concerns of millions of devotees, clarifying that this should not be seen as a reflection on the integrity of the state-appointed SIT. It also clarified that no conclusions have yet been drawn on the validity of the allegations. “We will not allow the Court to become a political battleground,” the Court stated.
This directive came while hearing petitions seeking a court-monitored investigation into the controversy surrounding the use of adulterated ghee in the temple’s prasadam. In a previous hearing on September 30, the Court criticized public comments made by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and asked the Centre for its stance on a potential central investigation.
At Friday’s hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta acknowledged that if the allegations proved true, they were deeply concerning. However, he vouched for the competence of the current SIT, noting that it could be monitored by central authorities. Justice BR Gavai, presiding alongside Justice KV Viswanathan, questioned the impact of Naidu’s statements on the investigation’s credibility.
Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra, representing the Tirupati Tirumala Devasthanam (TTD), advised the Court not to rely on media reports, which he claimed had misrepresented statements. Meanwhile, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing former TTD Chairman and MP YV Subba Reddy, argued for an independent investigation. He pointed out that the Chief Minister’s public comments undermined the credibility of the state SIT, stating, “An independent investigation is crucial for justice.”
The Court also discussed a July lab report from the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), which Chief Minister Naidu referenced in his September statement. According to Naidu, the report indicated that the ghee contained foreign fats, including beef fat and fish oil. Sibal contested this, arguing that the report referred to vegetable fats.
Ultimately, the Court directed the formation of the new SIT, comprising CBI, state police, and FSSAI officials. “We do not want this to turn into political drama. An independent body will inspire confidence,” Justice Gavai remarked.
The petitions, filed by Dr. Subramanian Swamy, YV Subba Reddy, Suresh Chavhanke, and Dr. Vikram Sampath, were concluded with this order.
The controversy arose after Chief Minister Naidu publicly shared a lab report suggesting that ghee samples used for preparing laddus at the Tirumala temple during the previous government’s tenure were adulterated. Several petitions followed, calling for a thorough investigation and greater accountability in managing Hindu temples.