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21m ago

Supreme Court Empanels SIT to Probe Vantara With Report Due by Sept. 12

A fact-finding team led by Justice Jasti Chelameswar will independently verify allegations ranging from wildlife law compliance to animal welfare standards.

The Supreme Court said the order only sought a fact-finding inquiry to ascertain the true factual position to enable the court to pass further orders
Vantara is spread over 3000 acres within the Green Belt of Reliance's Jamnagar Refinery Complex in Gujarat. It aims to be one of the leading contributors to conservation efforts globally. 
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Overview

  • A bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and P. B. Varale named a four‑member panel comprising Justice Raghavendra Chauhan, Hemant Nagrale and Anish Gupta under Justice Chelameswar.
  • The mandate covers how animals, particularly elephants, were acquired, compliance with the Wildlife (Protection) Act, zoo rules, CITES and import‑export laws, and standards of husbandry, veterinary care, welfare and mortalities.
  • The SIT was ordered to start immediately, conduct a physical inspection of the Jamnagar facility, and submit its report by September 12, with the petitions to be heard on September 15.
  • Regulatory bodies including the Central Zoo Authority, the CITES Management Authority, the environment ministry and Gujarat’s forest and police departments must fully cooperate, with the court warning of action for non‑compliance.
  • The court described the exercise as a neutral fact‑finding inquiry that does not reflect on Vantara or regulators, noting the petitions by C. R. Jaya Sukin and Dev Sharma rely largely on media reports following protests over an elephant transfer.