‘No foul play, complied with all rules’: SC clears Reliance Foundation’s Vantara in animal acquisition case
The Supreme Court on Monday, 15th September, said that the acquisition of animals by Vantara, the Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre run by the Reliance Foundation in Jamnagar, Gujarat, was within the law. The Court made this observation after going through the report of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) it had set up to look into allegations of irregularities. A bench of Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice P. B. Varale said the report showed that all acquisitions, including elephants, were carried out in compliance with the rules and regulations. “The acquisition of animals… has been carried out in regulatory compliance,” Justice Mithal remarked while reading from the report. According to the media reports, the Court made it clear that the SIT had found no foul play in how the animals were brought into the facility, either from within India or from abroad. The bench said they had not gone into the report in detail before the hearing because they wanted to examine it openly in court. During the session, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, senior advocate Harish Salve who appeared for Vantara, and the petitioner’s lawyer were present. Justice Mithal said “Acquisition of animals…carried out in regulatory compliance,” and added that the Court will make the report a part of the order. He also said that the matter would be closed after orders were passed in chambers. Objections over making the report public However, both Mehta and Salve requested the Court not to make the SIT report public. They said that a certain narrative is going on and publishing the report will allow more speculation than necessary. Salve added that there is some confidentiality attached to how the animals are taken care, etc. Justice Mithal then said that the Court will pass orders during lunch in chambers and will then close the matter. “My only concern is, when the Committee came, whole staff of Vantara was made available, everything was shown. There are certain propriety concerns as to how the animals are being looked after, how do you keep these animals. Large moneys have been spent with experts to develop these, there is some degree of commercial confidentiality. Mylords may understand, this is something which is the rival of the world, this kind of facility. There is narrative which is trying to bring this down. If the whole record is put, we don’t want the rest of the world to know because if tomorrow, in New York Times there is another article or you will see in Times Magazine another article..” Salve told the bench. Justice Mithal responded firmly, saying the Court would not allow unnecessary doubts to be raised now that an independent expert body had verified everything. “We are satisfied we the report of the Committee…Now, we have a report of an independent committee, they have gone through everything, they have taken help of experts. Whatever they have submitted, we will go by that. And all authorities will be free to take actions based on recommendations and suggestions. You are also bound, we will not permit anyone to raise questions again and again.” Court urges end to unnecessary allegations The bench also cautioned against spreading allegations for the sake of creating controversy. Justice Mithal said: “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…If the acquisition of an elephant is in accordance with the law, what is the difficulty?” He pointed out that elephants in temples are also used for processions and festivals like Dussehra, and if those traditions are accepted, there should be no objection when elephants are legally acquired by a rescue and rehabilitation centre. The Court further refused to take up a fresh plea regarding a temple elephant being shifted, saying the matter was already covered by the SIT’s findings. The bench appreciated the promptness with which the SIT carried out its investigation and suggested that the members should be given an honorarium for their work. With this, the Court indicated that the controversy surrounding Vantara’s acquisitions should now come to an end, making it clear that no foul play had been found. Background: Why Vantara came under the scanner The controversy around Vantara started earlier this year when concerns were raised regarding the acquisition of animals, particularly elephants, by the Reliance Foundation centre. Complaints and reports in the media and NGOs indicated that animals were being relocated without complying with the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, and international conventions such as CITES. Controversy were also erupted when an elephant called Mahadevi was transferred from a temple in Kolhapur to the Jamnagar centre in July, triggering a flurry of petitions. On
The Supreme Court on Monday, 15th September, said that the acquisition of animals by Vantara, the Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre run by the Reliance Foundation in Jamnagar, Gujarat, was within the law.
The Court made this observation after going through the report of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) it had set up to look into allegations of irregularities.
A bench of Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice P. B. Varale said the report showed that all acquisitions, including elephants, were carried out in compliance with the rules and regulations. “The acquisition of animals… has been carried out in regulatory compliance,” Justice Mithal remarked while reading from the report.
According to the media reports, the Court made it clear that the SIT had found no foul play in how the animals were brought into the facility, either from within India or from abroad.
The bench said they had not gone into the report in detail before the hearing because they wanted to examine it openly in court. During the session, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, senior advocate Harish Salve who appeared for Vantara, and the petitioner’s lawyer were present.
Justice Mithal said “Acquisition of animals…carried out in regulatory compliance,” and added that the Court will make the report a part of the order. He also said that the matter would be closed after orders were passed in chambers.
Objections over making the report public
However, both Mehta and Salve requested the Court not to make the SIT report public. They said that a certain narrative is going on and publishing the report will allow more speculation than necessary. Salve added that there is some confidentiality attached to how the animals are taken care, etc. Justice Mithal then said that the Court will pass orders during lunch in chambers and will then close the matter.
“My only concern is, when the Committee came, whole staff of Vantara was made available, everything was shown. There are certain propriety concerns as to how the animals are being looked after, how do you keep these animals. Large moneys have been spent with experts to develop these, there is some degree of commercial confidentiality. Mylords may understand, this is something which is the rival of the world, this kind of facility. There is narrative which is trying to bring this down. If the whole record is put, we don’t want the rest of the world to know because if tomorrow, in New York Times there is another article or you will see in Times Magazine another article..” Salve told the bench.
Justice Mithal responded firmly, saying the Court would not allow unnecessary doubts to be raised now that an independent expert body had verified everything. “We are satisfied we the report of the Committee…Now, we have a report of an independent committee, they have gone through everything, they have taken help of experts. Whatever they have submitted, we will go by that. And all authorities will be free to take actions based on recommendations and suggestions. You are also bound, we will not permit anyone to raise questions again and again.”
Court urges end to unnecessary allegations
The bench also cautioned against spreading allegations for the sake of creating controversy. Justice Mithal said: “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…If the acquisition of an elephant is in accordance with the law, what is the difficulty?”
He pointed out that elephants in temples are also used for processions and festivals like Dussehra, and if those traditions are accepted, there should be no objection when elephants are legally acquired by a rescue and rehabilitation centre.
The Court further refused to take up a fresh plea regarding a temple elephant being shifted, saying the matter was already covered by the SIT’s findings.
The bench appreciated the promptness with which the SIT carried out its investigation and suggested that the members should be given an honorarium for their work.
With this, the Court indicated that the controversy surrounding Vantara’s acquisitions should now come to an end, making it clear that no foul play had been found.
Background: Why Vantara came under the scanner
The controversy around Vantara started earlier this year when concerns were raised regarding the acquisition of animals, particularly elephants, by the Reliance Foundation centre. Complaints and reports in the media and NGOs indicated that animals were being relocated without complying with the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, and international conventions such as CITES.
Controversy were also erupted when an elephant called Mahadevi was transferred from a temple in Kolhapur to the Jamnagar centre in July, triggering a flurry of petitions. On 25th August, (2025), the Supreme Court ordered an inquiry by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by its former judge, Justice J. Chelameswar.
The SIT also included former Chief Justice of Uttarakhand and Telangana High Court Justice Raghavendra Chauhan, former Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale, and senior customs officer Anish Gupta. The SIT has been directed to conduct its inquiry “forthwith” and submit its report by 12th September.
The SIT was asked to examine a wide range of allegations: from compliance with wildlife laws and import/export rules, to animal welfare standards, to even complaints of misuse of resources like water and carbon credits. Allegations of financial irregularities and wildlife smuggling were also listed in the petitions.
Significantly, the Court had then observed that the petitions were primarily based on media reports and complaints and lacked substantial evidence. Nevertheless, in view of the seriousness of the allegations, the Court directed a fact-finding inquiry to determine the truth.
Vantara, meanwhile, had welcomed the Court’s ruling and pledged to cooperate fully with the SIT. The foundation asserted that its priority was “rescue, rehabilitation and care of animals” and urged that speculation must not overshadow its activities.
Now, with the SIT finding no violations and the Supreme Court closing the matter, the spotlight shifts back to Vantara’s work as one of the largest animal rescue and rehabilitation centres in the world.
