The Supreme Court on Friday constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe into the allegations of Tirupati laddu contamination. The bench constating of Justice B R Gawai and Justice K V Viswanadhan directed the state and the Central governments to constitute the special SIT to investigate into the allegations.
The special SIT would consist of two officers from the CBI, two officers from the state police and a representative from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. These five officers would investigate into the allegations of adulteration of ghee at Tirumala.
The allegation was made by Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Naidu alleged that the previous YSR Congress government had awarded contracts in the reverse tendering which led to the contamination of the ghee.
However, former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy turned down the allegation. He accused Chandrababu Naidu of doing politics with the Tirupati laddu.
The supreme court earlier observed that Chandrababu Naidu should not have spoken about the laddu contamination. The court also found the politicians for bringing the laddu issue and Lord Venkateswara into politics.
On Friday, Solicitor General Tushar Meheta told the court that the petitioners have sought investigation by an independent authority. Though there were no doubts about the SIT constituted by the state government, he said that he had no objection for a special SIT as requested by the petitioners.
The court however, rejected the plea by the petitioners to have a SIT under the supervision of the Supreme Court retired judge. The court said that there was no need for constitution of the SIT under the supervision of the Supreme Court retired judge.
