Overview

• The bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and P. B. Varale recorded receipt of the sealed-cover report with annexures and a pen drive.
• The four-member team is led by former Supreme Court judge J. Chelameswar and includes Justice Raghavendra Chauhan, Hemant Nagrale, and Anish Gupta.
• The mandate covers animal acquisitions, compliance with the Wildlife (Protection) Act and zoo rules, CITES and import–export laws, welfare standards, mortalities, and financial issues including alleged money laundering.
• The August 25 order required a physical inspection of the Jamnagar facility and directed full cooperation from Gujarat’s forest department and other statutory bodies.
• The case stems from PILs filed after scrutiny of Vantara’s operations, including controversy over the July transfer of the elephant Mahadevi from a Kolhapur temple, and it is listed for further hearing on September 15.