SIT formed on Supreme Court’s directive is investigating the Tirupati Laddu Prasadam case
— Roorkee’s renowned Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Milk Company had also supplied the ghee
Dehradun. In a major relief for Roorkee’s prestigious dairy company, Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Milk Private Limited, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Supreme Court has found no animal fat in the ghee it supplied for the Tirupati Laddu Prasadam. This report has been included in the case proceedings.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court, hearing a petition on the matter, has handed over the supervision of the investigation directly to the Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). This order was passed by Justice Harinath N. on July 10, in response to a petition filed by petitioner Kaduru Chinnappanna.
The petitioner had filed a plea in the High Court, alleging that the investigation was being derailed. He claimed that a police officer (Respondent No. 10), who was not a member of the Supreme Court-constituted SIT, was posing as the investigating officer and forcing him and other witnesses to give false and fabricated statements.
The case originated when the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh publicly stated that ghee containing animal fat was used to make laddus in Tirupati during the tenure of the previous government. This statement hurt the sentiments of millions of devotees, leading to the formation of an SIT to investigate the matter.
Subsequently, the Supreme Court formed a 5-member SIT last October. It comprises 2 officers from the CBI, 2 from the Andhra Pradesh Police, and one from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
It is noteworthy that in this controversy, other companies, including Roorkee’s Bhole Baba Dairy and Tamil Nadu’s AR Dairy Food Private Limited, were unnecessarily dragged into the issue as part of a conspiracy. At the time, the companies had vehemently denied all allegations, calling it a plot to tarnish their reputation.
The Supreme Court then took cognizance of the matter and commented on it. An SIT was also formed, which stated in its report that no animal fat or saliva was found in the ghee supply. According to the NDDB Calf lab report, the sample was not collected by the lab, making the report legally invalid. The Andhra Pradesh High Court also found that the investigating officer was not authorized for this probe. The High Court has released the owner of the Bhole Baba company.
Bhole Baba Company has always excelled in FSSAI tests
Notably, no sample from Bhole Baba Organic Dairy Milk Private Limited has ever failed an investigation by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to date. This is due to the company’s policy of never compromising on quality.
Supreme Court also commented on the matter
The most significant turn in the case came when the Supreme Court (SC) made its observation. On September 30, the SC stated that there is no conclusive evidence that animal fat was mixed into the laddus during the YSRCP’s tenure. The Supreme Court also questioned Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for making public statements without concrete proof. The court said, “The lab report has some disclaimers. It is not at all clear… If you yourself had ordered the investigation, what was the need to go to the press?” This comment from the court makes it clear that the initial allegations were made hastily and without a solid basis.
