Vantara Animal Acquisition Case: Supreme Court Probe Begins
The Supreme Court has ordered an investigation into the activities of Vantara. It is a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre under the management of Reliance Foundation in Jamnagar, Gujarat. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprised of a retired Supreme Court judge will investigate the allegations related to the procurement and wellness of animals at the centre.
Reasons for the SIT
On Monday, a bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and P B Varale formed the SIT after hearing two Public Interest Litigations (PILs). The petitions were filed by petitioner Dev Sharma and a lawyer, C R Jaya Sukin, and they expressed concerns regarding the transfer of an elephant named Mahadevi from a temple in Kolhapur to Vantara.
Furthermore, the SIT will be headed by former Supreme Court justice Justice J Chelameswar. Additional members include former Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand and Telangana High Court, Justice Raghavendra Chauhan, former Commissioner of Mumbai Police Hemant Nagrale, and Additional Commissioner of Customs, Anish Gupta. Hence, The SIT must submit its report by 12 September.
Scope of the SIT’s Inquiry
The SIT will investigate a wide variety of matters, including:
- The acquisition of animals from.
- 4.8.1. within India
- 4.8.2. outside India
- 4.8.3. as an elephant band (a category of risk)
Compliance with the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and zoo rules
- Compliance with international treaties such as CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna).
- Criteria for animal management, veterinary care, and animal welfare also creates traffic offences and offences against biodiversity.
- Accusations of wildlife trafficking, illegal trade in animals or animal products, and exploitation of biodiversity resources;
- Potential absorption of water, carbon credits and close to industrial areas;
- Economic irregularities and potential money laundering.
So, The SIT has been ordered to complete a physical verification and inspection of the Vantara premise. Complete cooperation is expected from the Gujarat Forest Department.
Observations by the Court
The bench recognized that the SIT was also limited to fact gathering and the court had not made a ruling on the allegations. It said the SIT intended to provide an entirely factual assessment that did not consider the terminated allegations.
So, the Justices also remarked that most of the petitions were based on media articles, social media posts and NGO complaints that did not offer any compelling evidence. Nevertheless, the court believed the seriousness of the allegations warranted an unbiased assessment.
“… generally speaking, a petition based on unproven allegations shouldn’t be seen legally at all and should be dismissed… However, in view of claims that either statutory authorities or courts have stated they cannot and will not fulfill their duties in this case, we think it is proper… to seek an independent assessment of the facts,” the bench remarked.
Why This Case Matters
The Vantara case has received national attention and has become a trending news today, as it deals with the increasing discourse around private wildlife conservation facilities in India. Also, with allegations on a spectrum running from animal cruelty to financial impropriety, the outcomes of this SIT inquiry will likely have major implications for conservation practices and the regulatory oversight.
What Happens Next
Therefore, The SIT is expected to commence its investigation this week and will report in three weeks. After this the court will decide what to do with the report. For now, the story around Vantara and its practices will continue to generate a great deal of attention.
