The Supreme Court on September 15 delivered a decisive ruling in favour of the Vantara wildlife facility in Jamnagar, Gujarat, clearing it of all allegations of illegal animal transfers, financial impropriety, and welfare violations. Accepting the findings of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), the court said there was no contravention of law and barred fresh complaints on the same issues.
A Bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and Prasanna B. Varale noted that repeated inquiries into Vantara’s activities had not substantiated charges ranging from unlawful acquisition of elephants to misuse of resources. “As no contravention of law has been reported by the SIT, the complaints, particularly those listed in Schedule A of the report, stand closed,” the order stated.
The SIT, headed by retired Supreme Court judge Jasti Chelameswar and including Justice Raghvendra Chauhan, former Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale, and senior IRS officer Anish Gupta, examined a wide spectrum of allegations. Its probe covered compliance with the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, Customs and Foreign Trade laws, Prevention of Money Laundering Act, Central Zoo Authority guidelines, and international treaties such as CITES.
The investigation involved coordination with statutory bodies, including the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Customs authorities, and jurisdictional police. The SIT concluded that animal acquisitions and imports were carried out with valid permits, multiple clearances, and extensive documentation. Once permits were issued, their legality could not be disputed.
The Supreme Court also rejected claims that the facility was operating as a vanity project. On the issue of animal welfare, the Bench said Vantara’s standards exceeded statutory benchmarks. “Facilities at Vantara in certain respects exceed the prescribed standards of animal husbandry, veterinary care, and welfare,” the court observed, citing inspections by the Central Zoo Authority, Gujarat’s Chief Wildlife Warden, and assessments by CITES.
Mortality figures at the facility were found to be consistent with international zoological averages, with the court noting that allegations of substandard welfare practices were unfounded. The judges also highlighted that Vantara had received the Global Humane Certified Seal of Approval, an independent validation of its animal care practices.
Financial concerns raised against Vantara were dismissed as well. The SIT confirmed there was no breach of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, misuse of carbon credits, or irregularities in resource use. The court deprecated aspersions cast on statutory authorities and earlier judicial committees, describing repeated petitions as an abuse of process.
To bring finality, the Bench ruled that no further complaints or proceedings based on the same set of allegations would be entertained before judicial, statutory, or administrative bodies. It also left Vantara free to seek remedies against publications or misinformation it considers damaging.
In a statement issued after the order, Team Vantara described the judgment as validation of its mission. It said the findings would allow the facility’s work in animal rescue and rehabilitation to “speak for itself,” while reiterating its pledge to collaborate with governments and stakeholders in advancing wildlife care. “Every animal we rescue, every bird we heal, every life we save is a reminder that their well-being is inseparable from the well-being of humanity,” the team said.
The ruling provides the most comprehensive legal backing yet to Vantara, which has faced multiple rounds of scrutiny since its establishment. For supporters, it reinforces the facility’s role as a conservation and rescue hub, while critics now face a judicial bar on reviving previously rejected claims.
With the Supreme Court’s closure of all pending complaints, Vantara stands cleared to continue its activities under judicial recognition, presenting itself as a centre of compassion and conservation in India’s wildlife landscape.
