North News
New Delhi, October 4
Supreme Court on Friday ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe, supervised by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), into allegations that ghee containing animal fat was used to prepare Tirupati laddus under the previous government. The court’s decision follows concerns over the potential impact on religious sentiments globally.
The SIT, to be monitored by the CBI Director, will include two state police officers and a member of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the court said. It emphasized the need for an independent probe to address the feelings of millions of devotees of the Sri Venkateswara Temple.
“We find that an investigation by an independent SIT… shall be done to assuage the feelings of crores of people,” the court said, clarifying that its order does not reflect on the fairness of the state’s previous SIT but is aimed at addressing the concerns of the faithful.
The Supreme Court refrained from commenting on the merits of the allegations, stating it would not allow the case to become a political battleground.
