SC sets up SIT to investigate Vantara rescue centre, how it acquires animals
The Supreme Court on Monday ordered an inquiry by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the affairs of Vantara, the wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre run by the Reliance Foundation in Gujarat’s Jamnagar.
A bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and P B Varale directed the SIT to conduct a fact-finding investigation into multiple allegations — ranging from the acquisition of animals, particularly elephants, to compliance with India’s wildlife laws and international conventions.
SIT composition and mandate
The SIT will be headed by Justice J Chelameswar, former judge of the Supreme Court, and include:
- Justice Raghavendra Chauhan, former Chief Justice of Uttarakhand and Telangana High Courts
- Hemant Nagrale, former Mumbai Police Commissioner
- Anish Gupta, Additional Commissioner, Customs
The SIT has been instructed to begin work “forthwith” and submit its report by September 12, 2025.
Scope of inquiry
The SIT will examine:
- Animal acquisition and transfers within India and abroad, including the controversial case of elephant Mahadevi, shifted from a Kolhapur temple to Vantara in July.
- Compliance with the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and zoo regulations.
- Adherence to international agreements, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
- Animal husbandry and welfare standards, including veterinary care and causes of mortalities.
- Location-related concerns, such as climatic conditions, proximity to industrial zones, and ecological impacts.
- Other allegations include the creation of vanity collections, the misuse of water or carbon credits, illegal wildlife trade, smuggling, financial irregularities, and potential money laundering.
The SIT has also been asked to carry out physical verification and inspection of Vantara, with full assistance from the Gujarat Forest Department.
Court’s observations
The bench clarified that the SIT inquiry is a fact-finding exercise only, intended to provide the court with an independent appraisal. The judges emphasized that the order does not imply any finding of guilt against Vantara, Reliance Foundation, or statutory authorities.
The court noted that the petitions, filed by lawyer C R Jaya Sukin and petitioner Dev Sharma, were based largely on media reports, social media content, and NGO complaints, without independent corroborative evidence. Ordinarily, such petitions would warrant dismissal, the court said.
However, given the seriousness and wide scope of the allegations — which also cast aspersions on statutory authorities like the Central Zoo Authority and CITES regulators — the court considered it necessary to commission an impartial factual appraisal.
Next steps
The SIT report, due by September 12, will help the Supreme Court decide whether violations of wildlife and financial laws have occurred and whether further directions are required.
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It appears we have given up on well being of humans as beyond salvation so the focus in on the dogs, pigeons and now wild animals in the rescue centers.