SIT Appointed By The Supreme Court To Visit Vantara Wildlife Centre Today (September 4, 2025) For Probing Animal Welfare Allegations

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by former Supreme Court Judge Justice Jasti Chelameswar to investigate the operations of Anant Ambani’s Vantara was appointed by the Supreme Court on August 25, 2025. Vantara is a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre owned by Reliance Foundation in Jamnagar, Gujarat. Now, this SIT will be visiting Vantara, for 3 days starting from today (September 04, 2025) according to Tarun Nangia, host of Legally Speaking with Tarun Nangia, a legal affairs program. Names of the members in SIT are Justice J. Chelameswar (Chair) (Former Judge, Supreme Court). Justice Raghvendra Chauhan – Former Chief Justice of Uttarakhand & Telangana High Courts Mr. Hemant Nagrale, IPS – Former Mumbai Police Commissioner Mr. Anish Gupta, IRS – Additional Commissioner of Customs.

What will the SIT examine and file a report on?

The SIT will be examining and file a report on- 
1.    Financial irregularities and alleged money laundering (ED, DRI, SFIO, FIU can be made a part of the investigation). 
2.    Acquisition of animals (especially elephants) from India & abroad.
3.    Compliance with Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and the regulations of the zoo.
4.    Compliance with CITIES (import/export of endangered species).
5.    The standards of animal husbandry, veterinary care, welfare and mortality.
6.    Complaints on industrial zone location and climatic unsuitability.
7.    The allegations of vanity/private collection, misuse of biodiversity resources.
8.    Misutilisation of the water and carbon credits.
9.    The allegations of illegal trade and wildlife smuggling.
10.    The allegations of illegal trade and wildlife smuggling and any other matter germane (relevant to a subject under consideration) to the allegations.

What do we know about the relocation of the Mahadevi elephant?

The controversy over the Vantara Wildlife Center started dominating the national headlines over the relocation of Mahadevi, a 30-year-old elephant, to the Radhe Krishna Elephant Welfare Trust in Jamnagar. Mahadevi is being relocated from a Jain temple in Kolhapur, Maharashtra to the Radhe Krishna Elephant Welfare Trust in Vantara. This trust works with Vantara to serve elephants as per the Vantara Jamnagar’s official website. Citing the elephant’s welfare, the relocation was recommended by a High-Power Committee but citing the religious traditions, the temple trust opposed the transfer. This matter had reached the court where the transfer was upheld by the Bombay High Court and later the Supreme Court also dismissed an appeal against that order on July 28, 2024.

Also read: ‘Fact-Finding Inquiry’: Supreme Court Forms SIT To Investigate Reliance-owned Vantara