The Supreme Court on Monday formed a special investigation team (SIT) led by retired SC judge J Chelameswar to look into the affairs of Reliance Foundation-run Vantara Wildlife Rescue Centre in Gujarat’s Jamnagar.
The SIT led by Justice Chelameswar will include former Chief Justice of Uttarakhand and Telangana high courts, Justice Raghvendra Chauhan; former Mumbai police commissioner Hemant Nagrale, and additional commissioner (customs) Anish Gupta.
Among other aspects, the panel will check Vantara’s compliances with the Wildlife Protection Act and other relevant laws in acquisition of animals, especially elephants, from India and abroad, Live Law reported.
Observing that usually such a plea should not be entertained, the apex court said that the petition only made allegations without any backing material.
However, it added, “In the wake of the allegations that the statutory authorities or the Courts are either unwilling or incapable of discharging their mandate… we consider it appropriate in the ends of justice to call for an independent factual appraisal which may establish the violation, as alleged, if any.”
What will the SIT examine?
The Supreme Court mandated that the SIT will examine and submit their report on the following matters:
- Acquisition of animals from India and abroad, particularly elephants;
- compliance with Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and rules for zoos made thereunder;
- Following of the International Convention on Trade of Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES), and compliance with import/export laws, other statutory requirements regarding live animals;
- compliance with animal husbandry, veterinary care, and animal welfare standards, mortalities and other causes thereof;
- complaints on climatic conditions and allegations concerning the location near an industrial zone, LiveLaw reported.
- complaints regarding creation of a vanity or private collection, breeding, conservation programs and use of biodiversity resources;
- complaints regarding misutilisation of water and carbon credits;
- complaints in connection with allegations of breach of different provisions of law, trade in animals or animal articles, wildlife smuggling, etc, as made in the texts referred to in the PIL
- complaints regarding issues of money laundering, financial money laundering, etc.
- complaints regarding any other subject, issue or matter germane to the allegations made in these petitions, LiveLaw reported.
The Supreme Court directed that the probe panel should be assisted completely by the Central Zoo Authority, the CITES Management Authority, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the State of Gujarat, including its Forest and Police Departments.
The apex court clarified that the order should not be petitions, nor this order be interpreted to have cast any doubt on the functioning of any statutory authorities or ‘Vantara’. It further said that the SIT is just a fact-finding exercise.
The SIT, led by Justice Chelameswar, was directed to submit the report by September 12, 2025.
