Andhra Govt Forms 9-Member SIT To Probe Alleged Tirupati Laddu Adulteration

The Andhra Pradesh government has set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the alleged adulteration of ghee used in the preparation of Tirupati laddu. As part of the investigation, the SIT may seek information from government departments.

Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh): The Andhra Pradesh government has set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the alleged adulteration of ghee used in the preparation of Tirupati laddus.

"The government of Andhra Pradesh, in accordance with its commitment to protecting the sanctity of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), have (has) considered it necessary to constitute the SIT for detailed and comprehensive investigation of the entire issue," said Chief Secretary Neerabh Kumar Prasad in a late-night order on Thursday.

The government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the leadership of Guntur Range IG Sarvashrestha Tripathi. Visakha Range DIG Gopinath Jetty, YSR District SP Harshvardhan Raju, Tirupati Additional SP (Admin) Venkata Rao, DSPs G Seetharama Rao, Sivanarayana Swamy, Annamaiya District Inspector (SB ) T Satya Narayana, NTR District Police Commissionerate Inspector K Umamaheshwar, Chittoor District Kallur CI M Surya Narayana were appointed as members. As part of the investigation, the SIT may seek information from government departments.

"The SIT may call for relevant information and assistance from any department of the government in the course of the investigation. All government departments shall cooperate with the SIT in the discharge of its duties and duly submit any information or technical assistance called for. Similarly, the SIT may seek any external expert assistance duly requesting the Director General of Police," the government order reads.

TTD is the official custodian of Lord Venkateswara temple in Tirupati. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu alleged during a recent TDP legislative party meeting that the erstwhile YSRCP government did not even spare Sri Venkateswara temple and used substandard ingredients and animal fats for making laddus. On September 22, he announced at his Undavalli residence that an SIT would probe the alleged adulteration of ghee used for making laddus.

However, YSRCP leaders said that probing the allegations by an agency reporting to the CM is insufficient and called for a Supreme Court-monitored probe. (With agency inputs).