Ex-IAS to examine SIT note on Tirupati laddu

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government on Friday appointed retired IAS officer Dinesh Kumar as the one-man committee to examine the CBI-led SIT's self-contained note over the alleged adulteration of Tirupati laddu ghee, and recommend suitable action against erring people.

The one-committee comes in the wake of the Supreme Court-appointed CBI-led SIT completing its probe and filing the chargesheet.

It submitted the final chargesheet to the Court on January 23, along with a Self-Contained Note (SCN) recommending the initiation of suitable action as deemed fit against erring committee members and senior TTD officials over the laddu ghee issue.

"Dinesh Kumar is appointed as One-Man Committee to examine the Self-Contained Note and to recommend initiation of suitable action as deemed fit against erring Committee Members and senior Officers of TTD for lapses, omissions, and failures in the relaxation as well as enforcement of ghee tender conditions," chief secretary K Vijayanand said in a government order (GO).

Likewise, the 1983 batch officer will examine whether decisions were taken with due diligence, recorded justification and procedures.

He will identify the extent of administrative responsibility and recommend appropriate administrative or disciplinary action.

"The committee shall submit its report within 45 days from the date of issue of this order," said Vijayanand, adding that this GO shall not prejudice proceedings pending before any court.

Back in September 2024, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had claimed that animal fat was used in preparing Tirupati laddus (consecrated sweet) during the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led regime in the state, triggering a massive political row.

During an NDA legislative party meeting in the southern state in 2024, Naidu had alleged that the erstwhile YSRCP government did not even spare Sri Venkateswara temple and used substandard ingredients and animal fats for making laddus, which are revered and sought after by crores of devotees.

The allegations sparked a massive controversy across the country, hurting the sentiments of crores of Hindus, leading to the Supreme Court-appointed SIT, which completed its probe.