The country’s highest court has called for an independent probe into the workings of Vantara—the vast zoological rescue and rehabilitation facility in Jamnagar, Gujarat, run under the Reliance Foundation banner.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by former Supreme Court judge Justice J. Chelameswar, has been tasked with digging deep into the centre’s affairs, particularly the manner in which animals—especially elephants—have been acquired from India and abroad.
Joining him on the panel are Justice Raghvendra Chauhan, once Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand and Telangana High Courts, former Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale, and Anish Gupta, a senior customs officer.
The directive came from a bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and Prasanna B. Varale, who were hearing a public interest plea that alleged irregularities in the centre’s operations. While the judges noted that the petition lacked hard evidence, they stressed that when doubts arise over whether statutory authorities are unwilling or unable to act, an impartial fact-finding exercise becomes necessary.
The SIT’s mandate is expansive. It will scrutinize:
- Animal acquisitions within and outside India, with focus on elephants.
- Adherence to the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and zoo regulations.
- Compliance with international conventions like CITES and India’s import/export rules.
- Standards of veterinary care, mortality records, and welfare practices.
- Allegations linked to industrial proximity, vanity collections, or misuse of biodiversity.
- Complaints of water and carbon credit exploitation.
- Financial compliance issues, including possible wildlife smuggling and money laundering.
To ensure transparency, the SIT will be assisted by the Central Zoo Authority, the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the CITES Management Authority, and Gujarat’s forest and police wings.
The Supreme Court underlined that the inquiry is purely fact-finding and does not cast aspersions either on the statutory bodies involved or on Vantara itself. The team has been asked to present its report by September 12, 2025.
