New Delhi: Two Archaeological Survey of India officials suspended over Ram Setu affidavit controversy.

One of the suspended officials was at the Director level who has been dealing with the issue for a long time while the other was responsible for amending the final draft of the affidavit submitted by the Centre to the apex court.

The inquiry was ordered by the Secretary of Union Culture Ministry and the action against the two ASI officials was taken on the basis of its report submitted on Friday, the sources said.

The suspension was approved by Union Tourism and Culture Minister Ambika Soni who returned on Friday night from a tour of Japan earlier in the day, they said.

The ASI affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, which said there was no historical or scientific proof about the existence of Lord Ram or Ramsetu as a man-made bridge, had set off a huge political storm with BJP attacking the government accusing it of hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus.

The government promptly went into a damage control exercise following a directive from Congress President Sonia Gandhi and withdrew its two affidavits questioning the existence of Lord Ram and Ramsetu.