New Delhi, 4 Oct

The Supreme Court on Friday set up a five-member "independent" SIT to probe into the allegations of use of animal fat in making Tirupati laddus, while making it clear that it will not permit the court to be used as a "political battleground".

The development assumes significance as the top court appointed panel would replace the Andhra Pradesh government's special investigation team (SIT) constituted on September 26 to probe the politically sensitive row over alleged use of animal fat in making these laddus.

A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan said the independent SIT will comprise two officials each from the CBI and the Andhra Pradesh Police besides a senior Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) official.

"We clarify that we will not permit the court to be used as a political battleground. However, in order to assuage the feelings of crores of people, we find that the investigation should be conducted by an independent SIT consisting of representatives of the state police, the CBI and a representative of the FSSAI," the bench said.

The bench directed it will be appropriate that the investigation is carried under the supervision of the Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

"We don't want this to be turned into a political drama. There are sentiments of crores of people throughout the world," the bench observed during the hearing.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had claimed earlier this month that animal fat was used in preparing Tirupati laddus during the previous Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy-led regime in the state, triggering a massive political row.

The YSR Congress Party has accused Naidu of indulging in "heinous allegations" for political gains and the ruling Telugu Desam Party in the state circulating a laboratory report to back its claim.

The apex court passed the order on a batch of pleas, including those seeking a court-monitored probe into the alleged use of animal fat in making Tirupati laddus.

The bench clarified that it has not gone into the allegations and counter allegations made in either of the petitions or the stand of the respondents, including the state government.

It also clarified that its order be not construed as any reflection on the fairness of the officers of the state-appointed SIT.

It said the apex court was passing the order of entrustment of probe to an independent agency only to assuage the feelings of crores of people having faith in the deity.

"The SIT appointed by the state government is substituted as under…," the bench said.

It said two officers of the CBI will be nominated by the Director of the probe agency while two officers of the Andhra Pradesh state police will be nominated by the state government.

While disposing of the petitions, it said the chairperson of the FSSAI will nominate one senior officer of the authority to be a part of the independent SIT.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench that if there was any element of truth in the allegations, it was unacceptable.

He suggested that the probe by the SIT can be supervised by some senior official of the central government.

Hearing the matter on September 30, the top court asked 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.

It had asked the top law officer to ponder over the issue and assist it in this regard.

On September 30, the bench had observed that Gods should be kept away from politics as it questioned Naidu's public statement that animal fat was allegedly used in making Tirupati laddus under the previous Reddy-led regime.

The apex court had said the laboratory test report was "not clear at all" and it prima facie indicated that "rejected ghee" was subjected to the test.

It had noted that according to the state, an FIR was registered on September 25 and a SIT was constituted on September 26 to probe the matter.

"It could thus be seen that a statement was made by the Chief Minister on September 18, which was even before the FIR being lodged on September 25 and the SIT being constituted on September 26," the bench had said.

"We are, prima facie, of the view that it was not appropriate on the part of a high constitutional functionary to go in public to make a statement which can affect the sentiment of crores of people and when investigation to find out adulterated ghee was used to make laddus was underway," it had said. -PTI