Tirupati laddu row: Key Supreme Court hearing on independent investigation plea today

Previously, solicitor general Tushar Mehta was asked to convey the Centre’s position on the necessity of a central probe.

The Supreme Court on Monday said it would consider transferring the investigation into claims of ghee adulterated with animal fat used for making laddus at the Tirupati Tirumala Temple from Andhra Pradesh government to an independent agency.

The top court also censured Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu for making statements about the alleged use of animal fat in laddus while the investigation was still ongoing and no FIR had been lodged regarding the claims.

Earlier, the bench of Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan also sought to know what was the evidence that ‘contaminated ghee’ was used in preparing Tirupati Laddus.

Tushar Mehta told the bench that it was a matter of faith and if contaminated ghee was used in preparation of laddus, it was unacceptable.

Naidu claimed earlier this month that animal fat was used in preparing Tirupati laddus during the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government in the state, triggering a massive political row.

Also read: Keep God out of politics: SC on Tirupati laddu row

However, the YSR Congress Party hit back at Naidu, accusing him of using religion for political gains. A war of words continued in Andhra Pradesh between the YSR Congress Party and ruling TDP.

The authorities of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which administers the affairs of the temple, have said that it has received several complaints from the pilgrims over the poor quality of “laddu” in the last few years.

“It was found that suppliers were supplying poor quality ghee, which lacks aroma and taste, and was possibly adulterated,” TTD executive officer J Shyamala Rao said in his report to the state government, following the latest controversy.

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