GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 4th Oct. The Supreme Court on Friday established a five-member independent Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate allegations regarding the use of animal fat in preparing Tirupati laddus. The court emphasized that it does not want the matter to become a “political battleground” and aims to address the sentiments of millions.
This decision comes as a replacement for the Andhra Pradesh government’s SIT formed on September 26 amid rising political tensions over the issue. Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan stated, “We don’t want this to be turned into a political drama. There are sentiments of crores of people throughout the world.”
The independent SIT will consist of two officers from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), two from the Andhra Pradesh Police, and a senior official from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The CBI director will nominate the CBI officers, while the state government will name the police representatives. The FSSAI chairperson will also appoint a senior official to the team.
The court stressed that this action is not a comment on the state-appointed SIT’s independence or fairness but aims to reassure the public. The allegations were first raised by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who claimed that animal fat was used in the laddus during the previous Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy administration. The YSR Congress Party has accused Naidu of making unfounded allegations for political gain.
The court’s order follows several petitions, including requests for a court-monitored investigation into the matter. The bench noted the potential of these allegations to hurt the sentiments of devotees worldwide. It highlighted the importance of handling such sensitive issues with care, clarifying that the SIT’s formation aims to maintain the faith of devotees in the deity.
During earlier hearings, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations and suggested that any investigation should be supervised by a senior official from a central police force.
The court has also criticized the timing of Naidu’s public statements regarding the issue, stressing the need for political figures to refrain from making comments that could influence public sentiment while investigations are ongoing.
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