Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 05:49am on 26 Aug 2025,Tuesday India
The Supreme Court has ordered the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by former Justice J. Chelameswar, to probe the operations of Vantara, the wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre run by Reliance Foundation in Jamnagar, Gujarat. The inquiry, to be completed by September 12, will examine allegations of illegal animal procurement—especially elephants—from India and abroad, adherence to the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, and zoo rules. It will also assess compliance with CITES, animal welfare standards, environmental concerns, financial irregularities, and more, following PILs prompted by the transfer of an elephant from a Kolhapur temple.
