SC on Friday ordered a probe by a SIT into the allegation by N. Chandrababu led Andhra Pradesh government that the previous regime of YSR Congress Party had used substandard ghee containing animal fat to prepare laddus at Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati.
A Bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan directed that the SIT shall have two officers from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), two from the Andhra Pradesh State Police and one senior officer from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
“In order to assuage feelings of crores of people, we find that investigation by independent SIT consisting of representatives of State police, CBI and FSSAI shall be done,” the Court said.
The State SIT which is already probing the case shall be substituted by the new SIT which shall comprise officers of the CBI nominated by director of CBI, two officers of Andhra Pradesh State police nominated by the State and a senior officer of FSSAI nominated by the chairman of the body, the Court directed.
The Court also ordered that investigation shall be under the supervision of the director of CBI.
“We clarify that our order should not be construed as a reflection on the independence and fairness on the members of the state SIT. We have constituted the committee only to assuage the feelings of crores of people having faith in the deity,” the Court clarified.
The Bench was hearing four petitions seeking a probe into the allegations that animal fat (as part of ghee) had been used to prepare laddus at the Hindu shrine in Andhra Pradesh, where Lord Venkateswara is worshipped.