SC Sets Up SIT To Probe Operations of Anant Ambani's Vantara

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by former apex court judge Justice Jasti Chelameswar to conduct a comprehensive probe into the affairs of Vantara. The move follows multiple petitions and complaints alleging violations of environmental, wildlife, and financial regulations.

The three-member SIT will also include Justice Raghavendra Chauhan, former Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand and Telangana High Courts, Hemant Nagrale, former Mumbai Police Commissioner, and Anish Gupta, IRS, Additional Commissioner, Customs.

The SIT has been empowered to gather information from petitioners, regulators, officials, intervenors, and journalists. It may expand its scope to any issue deemed necessary to present a complete factual report to the Court.

The Central Zoo Authority, the CITES Management Authority, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the State of Gujarat — including its Forest and Police Departments — have been directed to extend full cooperation to the SIT.

According to the Court’s order, the SIT will examine a wide range of issues, including:

Acquisition of animals: Investigating how elephants and other species were procured domestically and internationally.

Legal compliance: Assessing adherence to the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, and zoo-related regulations.

International protocols: Reviewing conformity with CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) and import/export laws.

Animal welfare: Scrutinising veterinary care, husbandry standards, welfare practices, and causes of mortalities.

Environmental concerns: Probing the suitability of the project’s location, including its proximity to industrial zones.

Collections and conservation: Examining allegations about vanity collections, breeding practices, conservation claims, and biodiversity use.

Resource use: Investigating misuse of water resources and carbon credit mechanisms.

Wildlife trade: Looking into alleged smuggling and breaches of wildlife trade laws.

Financial irregularities: Reviewing charges of money laundering and other financial improprieties.

Other issues: Addressing any additional matters revealed during the probe.