Guwahati: The Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT), set up to probe allegations against Reliance-owned Vantara, will convene its first official meeting in the capital on Thursday.
Sources confirmed that SIT members — Justice Jasti Chelameswar (Retd), Justice Raghavendra Chauhan (Retd), former Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale, and Anish Gupta (IRS, Additional Commissioner of Customs) — held an informal discussion on Tuesday and agreed to meet in person to chart the way forward, India Today reported.
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One of the key items on the agenda is to establish a detailed timetable for the inquiry and assign specific responsibilities to each member. The move is expected to ensure a structured and comprehensive investigation into the wide-ranging concerns flagged in the Supreme Court’s order.
The panel, chaired by Justice Chelameswar, was constituted earlier this month to examine issues related to animal acquisitions and welfare at Vantara, as well as allegations of illegal wildlife trade, smuggling, and money laundering.
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Empowered with wide-ranging authority, the SIT can summon documents and testimonies from petitioners, officials, regulators, journalists, and intervenors.
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It can also consult experts and physically inspect Vantara’s facilities. Support will be provided by the Central Zoo Authority, the CITES Management Authority, the Ministry of Environment and Forests, and Gujarat’s forest and police departments.
The apex court has directed Vantara and all private parties to extend full cooperation to the SIT, warning that any refusal could lead to contempt proceedings. It also stressed that the panel’s work is fact-finding in nature and does not, at this stage, imply guilt or wrongdoing.
The SIT was formed after two public interest litigations accused Vantara of illegal animal acquisitions, cruelty to captive animals, and financial irregularities. The panel is required to submit its report by September 12, ahead of the next Supreme Court hearing scheduled for September 15, 2025.