Chandrababu Naidu, Lokesh welcome Supreme Court order on Tirupati laddu row

Amaravati, Oct 4 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and his son and Cabinet Minister Nara Lokesh welcomed the Supreme Court's order on Friday for a CBI-monitored probe into alleged adulteration of Tirupati laddu.

"I welcome the Honourable Supreme Court’s order of setting up SIT, comprising officers from CBI, AP Police and FSSAI to investigate the issue of adulteration of Tirupati laddu," Naidu posted on X.

"Satyamev Jayate, Om Namo Venkatesaya," he added in his reaction to the apex court order.

Education Minister Nara Lokesh has also welcomed the apex court order.

"I welcome the Hon'ble Supreme Court's decision to strengthen the ongoing investigation with additional support from national agencies (CBI and FSSAI) who will be part of the SIT to identify the culprits behind the adulteration of the sacred Tirupati laddu. Truth will prevail," he wrote Lokesh.

The new Special Investigation Team (SIT) to be constituted will replace the SIT formed by the state government. Following the September 30 order of the Supreme Court, the Andhra Pradesh Police had temporarily stopped a probe by the SIT as the top court had orally asked SIT to "hold its hands" till October 3.

Following this, Director General of Police Dwaraka Tirumala Rao had announced that the SIT will temporarily stall its probe. The apex court said Chief Minister Naidu should have ‘kept the gods away from politics’ before rushing in to make public statements based on unsure facts that lard was used to prepare the laddus in the previous regime. It had said on Monday that there is currently nothing to show that animal fat was used in the preparation of Tirupati laddus during the previous YSRCP regime in Andhra Pradesh.

The Chief Minister had claimed on September 18 that ghee used for making Tirupati laddu during YSR Congress Party rule was adulterated with animal fat. YSR Congress Party had dismissed the allegations and accused Naidu of hurting the sentiments of devotees. The state government had constituted SIT to probe the allegations. Headed by Inspector General of Police, Guntur range, Sarvashresth Tripathi, the SIT conducted a probe for three days.