Tirupati: Andhra Pradesh DGP Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao on Tuesday, October 1 said that the state government constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) will temporarily stall its probe into the alleged ‘adulteration’ of Tirupati laddus with animal fats case as the matter is sub-judice in the Supreme Court.
Over the last two days, the SIT has probed the procurement and sampling processes, trying to understand how it is possible to adulterate the laddus, said Rao.
“First they (SIT) have to understand the process, study it, and take all the information, but in the meantime, an order has come from the Supreme Court, and in line with that, we have stopped it (probe),” the DGP said while speaking to reporters.
When the case is being examined under the purview of the apex court, it is not appropriate to speak more, he said.
The Supreme Court, while hearing a batch of petitions on the laddu case on Monday, tasked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to assist it in deciding whether the investigation by the state-appointed SIT should continue or the probe should be conducted by an independent agency.
While posting the matter for hearing on October 3, the apex court asked the top law officer to ponder over the issue and assist it in this regard.
Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has constituted the nine-member SIT, headed by Guntur Range inspector general of police (IGP) Sarvashresth Tripathi.
The SIT took over the case filed by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the official custodian of Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati, against AR Dairy in Tirupati East police station for allegedly supplying adulterated ghee.
The SIT formed teams to investigate everyone responsible for the adulterated ghee and also indicated that there was no definite period to submit its report.
It was planning to quiz TTD board members, officials, and workers. The SIT officials also visited Tirumala laddu Potu (laddu kitchen) and Laddu points of sale, and spoke to Sri Vaishnavas on Monday, who prepared the consecrated sweet, among others.
Deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan claimed that Supreme Court judges did not say that it (ghee) was ‘unadulterated’ but there was ‘confusion’.
Andhra Pradesh BJP chief D Purandeswari said that CM Naidu spoke about issues about the state as its constitutional head, not on any extraneous issue.
On Monday, TDP spokesperson Pattabhiram Kommareddy asserted that the TDP stands by its statements on Tirupati laddus alleged adulteration and also welcomed a court-monitored probe by a central agency.
Recently, senior YSRCP leader and former irrigation minister Ambati Rambabu said an SIT probe ordered by Naidu into the alleged Tirupati laddu adulteration case is insufficient, calling for a Supreme Court-monitored investigation.
Echoing Rambabu, P Sudhakar Reddy, former additional advocate general, said that the truth in the laddu allegations should not emanate from an investigation agency working under Naidu.
The state government’s decision to halt the SIT probe comes a day after the top court raised several questions on Naidu’s claims while hearing a batch of pleas, including those seeking a court-monitored probe into the alleged use of animal fats in making Tirupati laddus.
Highlighting that lab reports on alleged adulterated ghee were ‘not clear at all’ and prima facie indicated that ‘rejected ghee’ was subjected to tests, the apex court observed that Gods must be kept away from politics, and also questioned Naidu’s claims on animal fats being used during YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led regime to make Tirupati laddus.
During a recent NDA legislative party meeting in the southern state, Naidu had alleged that the erstwhile YSRCP government did not even spare Sri Venkateswara temple and used substandard ingredients and animal fats for making laddus, which are revered and sought after by crores of devotees.
The allegations sparked a massive controversy across the country, hurting the sentiments of crores of Hindus.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Fowzia Afaq | 
