SC upholds green light for Ambani’s Vantara project

In a resounding vindication of its conservation efforts the Supreme Court of India on Monday gave a definitive clean chit to Vantara The order which dismisses all allegations of illegality and impropriety marks the culmination of an exhaustive and fearlessly conducted investigation by a Special Investigation Team SIT The Courtrsquos order based on the SITrsquos thorough report provides a powerful endorsement of Vantararsquos commitment to animal welfare and conservationAnant Ambani the force behind VantaraThe allegations against Vantara were filed in public interest claiming unsubstantiated wrongdoings Yet the Supreme Court ldquoconsidering the gravity of the allegationsrdquo constituted a highpowered SIT comprising former judges and a former police commissioner to conduct a factfinding inquiry The SITrsquos investigation was a comprehensive and multiagency effort coordinating with the Central Zoo Authority Wildlife Crime Control Bureau Central Bureau of Investigation Enforcement Directorate and Customs Department among others This rigorous examination covered a wide spectrum of issues including animal acquisition alleged smuggling and money laundering animal welfare conservation programs and financial irregularitiesThe apex court even cautioned campaigners against discrediting the initiative It observed that no further complaint or proceedings based upon the same set of allegations shall be entertained before any judicial statutory or administrative forum The findings of the SIT were unequivocal The report ldquoclearly opined and concluded that there is no violation of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 Recognition of Zoo Rules 2009 CZA guidelines Customs Act 1962 Foreign Trade Regulation and development Act 1992 Foreign Exchange Management Act 1999 Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002 Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 or the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of wild Fauna and FlorardquoThe Supreme Court of India PICISTOCKThe Supreme Court in a strong statement of approval declared that it had ldquono hesitation in accepting the conclusion so drawn in the reportrdquo It further noted that Vantararsquos operations including the receipt of rescued animals and their housing for conservation and breeding have gone through ldquoa complex multilayeredmultijurisdictional statutory approvals procedure and documentationrdquo The Court underscored that all imports were made ldquoonly after issuance of valid permitsrdquo concluding that ldquothere is apparently no merit in any of the allegations of animal smuggling or launderingrdquoThe SIT was chaired by former Supreme Court judge Justice J Chelameswar one of the tallest jurists of contemporary India Observers point out that the SIT verdict is even more significant because of the composition and credibility of its members Justice Chelameswar has been seen to be unaffected by the pulls and pressures of the political class and other powers that be He is seen as a man with a heart as a voice of reason and as a man who doesnrsquot fear to swim against the tide He is the strongest force of dissent and the strongest hope of dissenters When he opines on a matter he does so with a moral courage that very few possess in todayrsquos times With him also not being able to find anything wrong with Vantara it should not only convince the strongest of critics but also shut them down foreverThe SIT report also debunked allegations regarding the centrersquos location near an industrial zone citing expert inputs that the climatic conditions are ldquovery congenial for the species housedrdquo The report further rejected the idea that Vantara is merely a ldquovanity or private collectionrdquo The SIT noted the organisationrsquos extensive scale professionalism and governance pointing out that it maintains Memoranda of Understanding with various state governments and foreign authorities and employs nearly 3000 personnel including globally recognised experts The SIT also highlighted Vantararsquos serious commitment to conservation noting that it has initiated conservation breeding programs for 41 endangered species The success of the cheetah program which has resulted in the birth of 17 cheetahs was particularly praised The SIT believes that over time Vantara ldquowould contribute to Indiarsquos own cheetah rewilding objectivesrdquoThe Courtrsquos order also carries a strong message against the proliferation of unfounded and speculative complaints The SIT found allegations regarding the misuse of water and carbon credits to be ldquowholly baseless and lacking even the semblance of factual or legal foundationrdquo The SIT and the Court expressed concern that such ldquospeculative complaints or petitions to continue despite such authoritative determinations in the past would be wholly unjustified and an abuse of the processrdquo In light of this the Supreme Court has taken a decisive step to bring finality to the issue The complaints listed in the SITrsquos report are now ldquoduly investigated and closedrdquoNot only relief but a blessing too says Team VantaraReacting to the judgement Team Vantara stressed that the verdict was not only a relief but a blessing ldquoWith utmost humility and gratitude we welcome the findings of the Special Investigation Team SIT appointed by the Honrsquoble Supreme Court of India The SITrsquos report and the Honrsquoble Supreme Courtrsquos order have made it clear that the doubts and allegations raised against Vantararsquos animal welfare mission were without any basisAnant Ambani who has led the way in caring and protecting animalsThe validation of the truth by the distinguished and widely respected members of the SIT is not just a relief for everyone at Vantara but also a blessing because it allows our work to speak for itselfrdquo said Team Vantara in a statement ldquoThe SITrsquos findings and the Apex Courtrsquos order give us further strength and encouragement to continue serving with humility and devotion to those who cannot speak for themselves The entire Vantara family expresses heartfelt gratitude for this affirmation and reassures everyone of our lifelong commitment to protecting and caring for animals and birds with compassionrdquoPerhaps the most compelling testament to Vantararsquos standards comes from the SITrsquos findings on animal welfare The SIT after seeking expert opinions concluded that Vantararsquos facilities exceed the prescribed benchmark The Supreme Court itself was ldquomore than satisfied that the facilities at Vantara in certain respects exceeds the prescribed standards of animal husbandry veterinary care and welfare as well as the statutory benchmarks laid down by the Central Zoo Authorityrdquo The SITrsquos report highlighted the independent audit by the Global Humane Society GHS ldquothe worldrsquos largest and most respected certifier of animal welfarerdquoA team of international experts conducted a nineday onsite evaluation and the audit ldquofound that Vantara not only complied with but exceeded internationally recognised benchmarksrdquo The GHS subsequently awarded Vantara the lsquoGlobal Humane Certified Seal of Approvalrsquo a certification of ldquoparticular significancerdquo as it ldquoindependently validates that Vantara operates at the highest international standards of welfare and conservationrdquoldquoVantara has always been about love compassion and responsibility towards the voiceless among us Every animal we rescue every bird we heal every life we save is a reminder that their wellbeing is not separate from our own mdash it is an inseparable part of the wellbeing of all humanity When we care for animals we are also caring for the soul of humanity We take this occasion to pledge our solidarity with the Government of India State Governments and all other stakeholders involved in the huge and challenging task of animal care and affirm that that Vantara will always be ready to work in close collaboration with them Letrsquos together make Mother Earth a better place for all living beingsrdquo added Team VantaraThey are fit and fine now at VantaraWhen Fareeda arrived at Vantara she suffered from overgrown hooves caused by restricted movement in concrete enclosures making each step painful She required a delicate sedationfree trimming procedure With her advanced pregnancy under consideration our expert team carefully treated her ensuring her comfort and her babiesrsquo safety Her resilience shone as she healed and gave birth to rare twins Sita and Laxman who now thrive by her sideWhen Chottu was rescued he endured dire conditions in a circus which led to physical weakness and isolation Upon his arrival at Vantara he was introduced to a habitat designed to mimic natural conditions aiding his recovery There he met Chotti another rescued hippo and their bond flourished When Chotti arrived she was already pregnant and a few months later she gave birth to Jammy In this new environment Chottu not only regained his strength but also found companionshipChampa was rescued with severe joint pain and deep wounds that made movement difficult We provided her with daily herbal massages hot water fomentation and hydrotherapy to ease her pain as well as wound care and tailored medications to support healing Our custom support structure helped her regain strength Today Champa roams freely surrounded by her herd living harmoniously and enjoying her newfound freedomAll figured outgtgt Two writ petitions alleged illegalities and improprieties at Vantara Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre amp Radhe Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trustgtgt Earlier August 25 2025 the Court had found no probative material but due to the seriousness constituted a Special Investigation Team SIT led by retired judges and senior officials to conduct a factfinding inquirySIT Investigationgtgt SIT coordinated with multiple Indian and foreign authorities CZA CBI ED DRI Customs CITES bodies etcgtgt Examined records affidavits site visits expert opinions and personal hearingsgtgt Investigated allegations relating to animal acquisition smuggling laundering welfare conservation financial improprieties and environmental issuesKey Findings1 No legal violationsgtgt No breach of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 Zoo Rules CZA guidelines Customs Act FEMA PMLA or CITES was foundgtgt All acquisitions and imports were duly permitted and documented2 Animal welfare amp facilitiesgtgt Vantararsquos facilities exceed prescribed benchmarks of welfare husbandry and veterinary caregtgt Mortality rates align with global zoological averagesgtgt Certified by the Global Humane Society with the ldquoGlobal Humane CertifiedtradeSeal of Approvalrdquo3 Financial allegationsgtgt Claims of misuse of carbon credits water or money laundering were found baselessgtgt No irregular flows of funds or smuggling links were detected4 Repetitive complaintsgtgt Court noted Vantara has repeatedly faced similar allegations all foundwithout meritgtgt Continuing such speculative petitions was termed an abuse of processCourts Directionsgtgt SIT report sealed full copy to Vantara for internal usegtgt Summary of SIT report not confidential and part of the Courtrsquos ordergtgt All complaintspetitions mentioned in Schedule A stand closedgtgt No further complaints on the same allegations will be entertained in any forumgtgt Vantara and authorities must implement SITrsquos suggested measuresgtgt Vantara may pursue remedies against defamatory publicationsgtgt SIT members except the serving IRS officer awarded honorarium for their workIn ClosingThe Supreme Court fully accepted the SITrsquos findings closed the cases and barred repetitive litigation on the same issues It also praised Vantararsquos welfare standards and conservation efforts while cautioning against unfounded allegationsThe SIT investigationSpecial Investigation Team SIT coordinated with multiple Indian and foreign authorities Examined records affidavits site visits expert opinions and personal hearings Investigated allegations relating to animal acquisition smuggling laundering welfare conservation financial improprieties and environmental issuesNo truth in allegationsClaims of misuse of carbon credits water or money laundering were found to be baseless No irregular flows of funds or smuggling links were detectedThe conclusionThe Supreme Court fully accepted the Special Investigation Teamrsquos SIT findings closed the cases and barred repetitive litigation on the same issues It also praised Vantararsquos welfare standards and conservation efforts while cautioning against unfounded allegationsText and pics courtesy Vantara website