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Supreme Court Orders CBI-Supervised SIT into Tirupati Laddu Adulteration; CM Naidu Welcomes Decision

Oct 4, 2024, 05:39 AM

On October 4, 2024, the Supreme Court of India ordered a fresh, independent Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe allegations of adulteration in the making of Tirupati laddus, the sacred prasad offered at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh. The court directed that the SIT should include two officers from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), two from the Andhra Pradesh Police, and one senior official from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), with the investigation supervised by CBI Director Praveen Sood. The Supreme Court emphasized that it does not want the court to be used as a 'political battleground' and described the matter as a 'faith for crores' of devotees. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu welcomed the court's decision. However, YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy criticized CM Naidu, accusing him of spreading false news and demanding an apology for hurting religious sentiments. The executive officer of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), appointed by CM Naidu, stated that adulterated ghee was never used in making the laddu prasadam. The Tirupati laddu controversy has become a significant political issue in the state, with various parties responding to the court's decision.