New Delhi, September 15 — The Supreme Court of India has given a clean chit to Vantara, the animal rescue and rehabilitation centre located in Jamnagar, Gujarat, after reviewing a report submitted by a Special Investigation Team (SIT).
A bench comprising Justices Pankaj Mithal and P.B. Varale noted that the facility is operating in strict compliance with applicable laws and should not be maligned without basis. The court further observed that authorities were satisfied with Vantara’s adherence to regulatory norms and enforcement measures. The SIT’s findings, submitted last Friday, were reviewed by the court on Monday. The bench said a detailed order would follow.
The SIT was constituted by the apex court on August 25 to conduct a fact-based probe into allegations that Vantara had violated wildlife laws, including claims of acquiring animals — particularly elephants — from within India and abroad. These inquiries stemmed from public interest litigations filed on the basis of complaints by media reports, NGOs, and wildlife organisations. The four-member team was chaired by a former judge.
Earlier, on August 14, the Supreme Court had dismissed as “vague and unfounded” a separate plea filed by C.R. Jayasukan seeking a monitoring committee to return animals at Vantara to their original owners. The petitioner had alleged that elephants from temples were being moved to the facility. The bench remarked: “If elephants are acquired in accordance with the law and all requirements are complied with, there is no issue. Such broad and general allegations cannot be entertained.”
About Vantara
Vantara is the brainchild of Anant Ambani, a director on the boards of Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation. Spread across the 3,000-acre green belt of Reliance’s Jamnagar refinery complex, the centre is one of the most advanced of its kind.
Its Centre for Elephants includes modern shelters, scientifically designed day and night enclosures, hydrotherapy pools, water bodies, and even a large elephant jacuzzi for arthritis treatment. Alongside, a 650-acre Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre houses animals rescued from circuses, zoos, and other unsafe environments in India and around the world. The facility provides them with expansive enclosures and scientifically designed habitats to support long-term care and recovery.
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