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The court had set up the SIT on two PILs filed in the wake of a controversy over the shifting of an elephant named Mahadevi from a temple in Kolhapur to Vantara in July. (File Photo)
The Supreme Court on Friday said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) inquiring into the affairs of Vantara – the wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre launched by Reliance Foundation in Gujarat’s Jamnagar – had submitted its report.
The bench of justices Pankaj Mithal and Prasanna B Varale said the “sealed cover” report “is accepted and directed to be taken on record.”
Setting up the SIT under former judge Justice J Chelameswar, the apex court had on August 25 called for a report on a number of issues, including the acquisition of animals from India and abroad, particularly elephants, and compliance with the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, and rules for zoos.
The court had set up the SIT on two PILs filed in the wake of a controversy over the shifting of an elephant named Mahadevi from a temple in Kolhapur to Vantara in July.
The SIT included former Chief Justice of Uttarakhand and Telangana High Court Justice Raghavendra Chauhan, former Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale and Additional Commissioner Customs Anish Gupta. It was directed to submit a report by September 12 after looking into the International Convention on Trade of Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) and compliance with import/export laws and other statutory requirements concerning imports/exports of live animals. SC had also asked to look into compliance with standards of animal husbandry, veterinary care, animal welfare, mortalities and causes.
The SIT was also directed to look into a host of other issues: climatic conditions and allegations concerning location near an industrial zone, creation of a vanity or private collection, breeding, conservation programmes and use of biodiversity resources, misutilisation of water and carbon credits, allegations of breach of different provisions of law, trade in animals or animal articles, wildlife smuggling, to name a few.
The SIT was also asked to probe complaints over financial compliance and money laundering.
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The August 25 order had asked the SIT to “carry out a physical verification and inspection of” Vantara and directed that the Secretary, Department of Forest, Gujarat, “shall be responsible to ensure complete assistance and co-operation to the SIT in the state.”
The bench “clarified that the above exercise undertaken by the SIT has been permitted only to assist the court as a fact-finding inquiry so as to ascertain the true factual position and to enable the court to pass any further order, as may be deemed fit on the basis of the material furnished and contained in the report.”
English (US) ·