Guwahati: The Supreme Court will review a confidential report today, September 15, submitted by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by retired Justice J. Chelameswar, which investigated serious allegations against Vantara, a zoological rescue and rehabilitation centre founded by Anant Ambani in Jamnagar, Gujarat.
The SIT submitted the sealed report, complete with annexures and a pen drive, on September 12, and a Bench led by Justice Pankaj Mithal officially accepted it for consideration.
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The Court formed this independent panel on August 25, after receiving two petitions that accused Vantara of a range of illegal activities, including the unlawful acquisition of wild animals, mistreatment of captive animals, financial misconduct, and money laundering.
After observing that the petitions were largely based on media reports and unverified claims, the Court decided to form its own SIT instead of relying solely on government agencies.
The objective: to conduct an independent, fact-based inquiry.
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Justice Chelameswar heads the four-member team, which also includes:
- Justice Raghavendra Chauhan, former Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand and Telangana High Courts,
- Hemant Nagrale, former Mumbai Police Commissioner (IPS), and
- Anish Gupta, Additional Commissioner, Customs (IRS).
The SIT’s mandate included reviewing how Vantara acquired animals, particularly elephants, from both domestic and international sources. The team also examined:
- Compliance with the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972,
- Adherence to regulations governing zoos and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES),
- Animal husbandry, veterinary care standards, and welfare practices,
- Mortality rates among animals and the impact of climatic conditions, especially given Vantara’s location near an industrial zone.
The Court also directed the SIT to evaluate whether Vantara had functioned as a private collection or vanity project, and whether it had violated any laws related to biodiversity conservation, trade in wildlife or animal articles, smuggling, or money laundering.
The team also reviewed concerns about the use of water and carbon credits at the facility.