The Supreme Court of India has given a clean chit to Vantara, a zoological rescue and rehabilitation centre run by the Reliance Foundation in Jamnagar, Gujarat, effectively dismissing doubts and allegations surrounding its acquisition of animals, particularly elephants. The court's decision, delivered on Monday, September 15, 2025, follows the acceptance of a report by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) that found no evidence of foul play or regulatory contraventions in Vantara's operations.
The SIT, constituted by the Supreme Court on August 25, 2025, was tasked with investigating allegations of unlawful animal acquisition, non-compliance with the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972, and concerns regarding animal welfare and the facility's location. Headed by former Supreme Court Justice Jasti Chelameswar, the SIT conducted on-site inspections, consulted with regulators, experts, and stakeholders, and thoroughly examined Vantara's operations. The resulting report concluded that Vantara's acquisition of animals was conducted in regulatory compliance, and authorities expressed satisfaction with the facility's adherence to legal and regulatory measures.
During the hearing, a bench comprising Justices Pankaj Mithal and P.B. Varale stated that they had reviewed the SIT report and found no reason to doubt its conclusions. Justice Mithal emphasized that the acquisition of animals was within the bounds of the law, and the court saw no difficulty if someone acquired an elephant while adhering to legal provisions. The bench also rejected objections to the transfer of elephants from temples to Vantara, stating that such transfers were permissible as long as due procedure was followed. Furthermore, the court dismissed pleas seeking the return of elephants to temples, deeming them "completely vague".
The Supreme Court's decision has been welcomed by Vantara and its supporters, who have consistently maintained that the facility operates with transparency and in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Senior Advocate Harish Salve, representing Vantara, argued that objections to the facility were being raised by entities from countries that permit animal hunting, simply because India was "doing something good". He stressed that Vantara had fully cooperated with the SIT investigation and provided complete access to its staff and facilities.
The court acknowledged the promptness of the SIT in completing its investigation and suggested that its members be given an honorarium. While the court initially considered making the full SIT report public, it ultimately decided against it after objections from Salve and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who cited concerns about commercial confidentiality and potential misuse of sensitive information. The court did, however, clarify that Vantara could pursue legal remedies against those responsible for misinformation or defamation.
The Supreme Court's ruling effectively puts an end to the doubts and allegations that have plagued Vantara since its inception. The court's strong endorsement of the facility and its operations sends a clear message that Vantara is a legitimate and valuable asset to the country's animal rescue and conservation efforts. Justice Mithal urged that "unnecessary allegations" should not be made now that an independent body has found no foul play. He further added, "See, there are certain things we probably feel are the pride of this country. We should not unnecessarily rake up all these matters and raise hue and cry for the sake of that. Allow certain good things to happen to the country. We should be happy about all these good things".
