Supreme Court appointed SIT spends 3 days at Vantara

The Supreme Court appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a fact-finding inquiry into Vantara, recently spent three days at Vantara inspecting its facilities.

Notably, the SIT has issued a questionnaire seeking detailed answers on financial transactions, international acquisition of animals, compliance with wildlife and zoo regulations, housing standards, and procedures followed for international and inter-state transfers.

As per reports the SIT has also brought in 16 other agencies to assist in the inquiry. It has also summoned forest and wildlife department officials to examine the transfer of elephants and other species to Jamnagar.

The Supreme Court on August 25, 2025, constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by former Supreme Court judge, Justice Jasti Chelameswar to conduct a fact-finding inquiry into allegations of unlawful procurement of animals, mistreatment in captivity, financial irregularities, and money laundering concerning Vantara Centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat.

A bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and Prasanna B Varale had asked the SIT to conduct the inquiry entrusted to it forthwith and to submit the report by September 12, 2025. The SIT has been constituted with Justice Chelameswar as Chairperson, and Justice Raghavendra Chauhan (former Chief Justice of Uttarakhand and Telangana High Courts), Hemant Nagrale, IPS (former Commissioner of Police, Mumbai), and Anish Gupta, IRS (Additional Commissioner, Customs) as members. The SIT has been tasked with examining acquisition of animals from India and abroad, particularly elephants; compliance with the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972; adherence to CITES obligations; compliance with import/export laws for live animals; standards of animal husbandry, veterinary care and welfare; and mortality data.

It will also probe allegations regarding climatic conditions, the centre’s proximity to an industrial zone, creation of a vanity collection, breeding and conservation programs, misuse of water and carbon credits, wildlife smuggling, financial compliance, and money laundering. The SIT may inquire into any other relevant matter and give its opinion on actions necessary and the manner in which such action may be directed by the Court.

“Any incident of non-assistance or non-cooperation by any person, authority or institution brought to the notice of this Court or noted in the SIT’s report, would compel this Court to consider taking appropriate actions or to issue directions, including action for contempt,” the order cautioned. It clarified that the exercise was a fact-finding inquiry to ascertain the true factual position and enable the Court to pass further orders, if necessary.

The petitions before Supreme Court have alleged large-scale acquisition of animals from India and abroad, violations of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, non-compliance with CITES norms, and misuse of resources such as water and carbon credits. The Court noted that the accusations extended beyond the private respondent to include statutory authorities like the Central Zoo Authority, the CITES Management Authority, and even courts.

Stating that the petitions lacked probative material, the Court had remarked, “Upon the reading of the pleadings, we find that what has been presented through these petitions are only allegations with no material of probative worth. There appears to be no supporting material.” However, considering the nature of the allegations and concerns that statutory authorities or courts may be “either unwilling or incapable of discharging their mandate,” the Court deemed it appropriate to order an independent factual appraisal.

Earlier, Supreme Court had called petition filed against Vantara's operations and transfer of elephant Mahadevi as completely vague noting that the petitions were filed without impleading Vantara as a party.

Supreme Court had on August 11 agreed to hear a petition filed against the transfer of 33-year-old female elephant named Mahadevi from a Kolhapur-based Jain Math to Vantara in Gujarat.

Recently, Vantara had clarified its involvement in the process of transfer of Mahadevi stating that it has been acting strictly in accordance to the binding directions issued by the Supreme Court and the Bombay High Court. Considering the sentiments of the devotees, the leadership of the Jain Matha, and the wider community who have expressed their concerns and attachment to Mahadevi, Vantara has said that it will extend full support to any application filed by the Jain Matha and the Government of Maharashtra before the Court requesting Madhuri’s return to Kolhapur.

In July, in a landmark affirmation of animal welfare jurisprudence, the Supreme Court of India upheld the Bombay High Court’s decision directing the transfer of a Mahadevi from a Kolhapur-based Jain Math to the Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust (Vantara) in Jamnagar, Gujarat

Case Title: C R Jaya Sukin vs. Union of India & Ors.