SC-Appointed SIT Gives Clean Chit To Reliance's Wildlife Rescue Centre, Vantara

(MENAFN- Live Mint) In a relief to Reliance Foundation-the philanthropic arm of Reliance Industries Ltd-the Supreme Court on Monday cleared its wildlife rescue, treatment, and rehabilitation centre of all alleged violations after reviewing a Special Investigation Team's (SIT) sealed-cover report.

A bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and Prasanna B. Varale described the inquiry as“detailed and sufficient”, leaving no grounds for further adjudication or reopening the matter.

They said the SIT had consulted all stakeholders, sought expert opinions, and examined every angle of the case.

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“The acquisition of animals by Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (Vantara, located in Jamnagar, Gujarat) has been carried out in regulatory compliance,” the bench said, quoting the SIT's findings.

It asked Vantara to comply with the SIT's suggestions and recommendations, which will be incorporated into the final order.

The judges also noted that authorities may take any necessary action to implement the recommendations and said SIT members would be paid a reasonable honorarium for their work.

"Once we close the matter and accept the report, we will not permit anyone to raise such objections again. We are satisfied with the committee's findings, and this must put an end to all this. Authorities are permitted to take whatever necessary action is required in pursuance of the committee's suggestions or findings,” remarked Justice Mithal.

The bench noted it had not been inclined to entertain the petitions initially, but allowed the investigation“since there were certain allegations that needed to be looked into".

The SIT, comprising Justice Raghavendra Chauhan (former chief justice of the Uttarakhand and Telangana high courts), former Mumbai police commissioner Hemant Nagrale, and additional customs commissioner Anish Gupta, was constituted on 25 August under the chairmanship of former Supreme Court judge Jasti Chelameswar.

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Over three days in Jamnagar, the panel examined records, questioned staff, and coordinated with 16 other agencies to assess allegations ranging from illegal animal acquisition to regulatory non-compliance.

Appearing for Vantara, senior advocate Harish Salve urged the court not to make the entire report public, citing commercial sensitivities.

“My only concern is that when the committee came, the whole staff of Vantara was made available. Everything was shown. There is certain proprietary information as to how the animals are being looked after... A large amount of money has been spent on experts to develop these,” Salve said.

The case stemmed from two public interest litigations filed earlier in 2025-one by lawyer C.R. Jaya Sukin in February and another by activist Dev Sharma-alleging illegal acquisition and import of exotic and endangered species, violations of India's Wildlife Protection Act and CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) norms, and lapses in animal welfare.

The petitions also questioned regulatory oversight, claiming Vantara bypassed clearances and posed ecological risks.

Vantara, formerly known as Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, is a 3,500-acre wildlife conservation and rehabilitation centre within Reliance's Jamnagar refinery complex in Gujarat.

Established in 2023 by Anant Ambani, it houses over 2,000 animals of 400 species, including elephants, lions, leopards, exotic birds, and reptiles-many rescued or relocated from circuses, temples, or foreign zoos.

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Backed by RIL and private philanthropy, it has reportedly invested thousands of crores of rupees to create world-class enclosures, veterinary facilities, and breeding programmes.

The facility spends ₹150-200 crore annually on animal care, including specialized diets, international veterinary teams, air-conditioned medical units, and modern rehabilitation infrastructure.

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