NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) which will be headed (Chairperson) by former Supreme Court Judge Justice Jasti Chelameswar to inquire into the affairs of Vantara (Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre) run by the Reliance Foundation at Jamnagar, Gujarat.
A two-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Justice Prasanna B Varale passed the order, after hearing a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) filed by a lawyer, CR Jaya Sukin.”Accordingly, we deem it appropriate to direct for constitution of a Special Team (SIT) of respectable Investigation persons of impeccable integrity and high repute having long public service,” the top court stated in the order.
It also directed that the three other members of the SIT would be; Justice Raghavendra Chauhan (Former Chief Justice of Uttarakhand and Telangana High Court), Hemant Nagrale, IPS (Former Commissioner of Police, Mumbai), Anish Gupta, IRS (Addl Commissioner Customs).
“The SIT has to inquire into, among other things, the compliance with the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act and other relevant statutes in the acquisition of animals from India and abroad, particularly elephants,” the order said.
The bench observed that the petition only made allegations without any supporting material. It was clarified that ordinarily, such a petition should not be entertained.
