Tirupati laddu row: SIT probe temporarily stalled

Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao on Tuesday said that the state government constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) will temporarily stall its probe into the alleged 'adulteration' of Tirupati laddus with animal fats case as the matter is sub judice in the Supreme Court.

IMAGE: Members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal hold a protest march over the Tirupati laddu case, in Lucknow. Photograph: ANI Photo

Over the last two days, the SIT has probed the procurement and sampling processes, trying to understand how it is possible to adulterate the laddus, said Rao.

"First they (SIT) have to understand the process, study it and take all the information, but in the meantime, an order has come from the Supreme Court and in line with that, we have stopped it (probe)," the DGP said while speaking to reporters.

When the case is being examined under the purview of the apex court, it is not appropriate to talk more, he said, hinting at the next hearing of the case in the Supreme Court on October 3.

The top court was hearing a batch of pleas, including those seeking a court-monitored probe into the alleged use of animal fat in making Tirupati laddus.