SC-mandated SIT reaches Reliance’s Vantara for a 3-day probe

A Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) has reached the Reliance Industries Limited’s Vantara campus on Thursday to begin a three-day inspection into a wide array of allegations ranging from financial impropriety to wildlife law violations.

The four-member SIT is led by Justice J Chelameswar, retired judge of the Supreme Court, and includes Justice Raghvendra Chauhan, former Chief Justice of Uttarakhand and Telangana High Courts, Hemant Nagrale, former Mumbai Police Commissioner, and Anish Gupta, Additional Commissioner of Customs. The team has been tasked with delivering an independent and comprehensive assessment of Vantara, Reliance’s ambitious animal welfare and conservation initiative in Gujarat.

The Court’s mandate requires the SIT to examine concerns raised in public interest litigations. At the core are allegations of financial irregularities and money laundering. The SIT will also look closely at the acquisition of animals, particularly elephants, from both domestic and international sources. Questions have been raised over the legality of these transfers under India’s Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and relevant zoo regulations.

International dimensions are also in focus. The team will assess compliance with CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) in connection with the import and export of vulnerable and endangered species. Standards of animal husbandry, veterinary care, mortality rates, and welfare at the facility will also be reviewed.

Environmental concerns have been flagged as well. The committee will check whether the industrial zone location of Vantara is climatically unsuitable, whether biodiversity resources are being misused for private vanity collections, and whether water and carbon credits have been improperly utilised. Allegations of illegal trade and wildlife smuggling are also on the table.

The Court has directed that the SIT will receive full cooperation from the Central Zoo Authority, the CITES Authority, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the Gujarat government, and state forest and police departments. Reliance’s Vantara management is expected to extend complete assistance as well.

The MoEFCC’s Director General of Forests has been asked to provide travel, lodging, and logistical support. The SIT is also empowered to consult external experts and conduct physical inspections of the facility. Non-cooperation from any stakeholder could attract contempt proceedings or further directions from the Supreme Court.

The SIT has been asked to submit its report by September 12, 2025, just over a week from now. The matter is scheduled to return to the Supreme Court on September 15, 2025, when the Justices will examine the findings. If the report is deemed satisfactory, the Court may dispose of the petitions. Should significant gaps or fresh concerns emerge, further judicial orders could follow.

By commissioning this high-level probe instead of dismissing the petitions outright, the Court signaled the seriousness with which it views the allegations. For Reliance’s Vantara, once touted as a model of corporate-led conservation, the next three days of scrutiny may prove decisive in shaping its future. 

Vantara has acknowledged the court’s decision and said: “We acknowledge the order of the Hon’ble Supreme Court with utmost regard. Vantara remains committed to transparency, compassion and full compliance with the law. Our mission and focus continues to be the rescue, rehabilitation and care of animals. We will extend full cooperation to the Special Investigation Team and continue our work sincerely, always placing the welfare of animals at the heart of all our efforts.” I further said: “We request that the process be allowed to take place without speculation and in the best interest of the animals we serve.”