SIT probing complaints against Vantara submits report in Supreme Court

New Delhi: The Supreme Court-appointed SIT probing the affairs of Vantara, a zoological rescue and rehabilitation centre in Gujarat's Jamnagar, on Friday submitted a sealed cover report.

A bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and P B Varale took the report on record after the SIT counsel headed by former top court judge Jasti Chelameswar, submitted the report.

"The SIT formed by this court has submitted a report in a sealed cover along with a pen drive which also contains the report as well as its annexures. It is accepted and directed to be taken on record," the bench said.

The matter would likely be heard on September 15.

The top court constituted the SIT on August 25 to conduct a fact-finding inquiry against Vantara, in view of allegations of non-compliance with laws and acquisition of animals from India and abroad, particularly elephants.

The top court constituted the four-member SIT headed by a former apex court judge while hearing two PILs alleging irregularities against Vantara on the basis of reports in the media and social media and diverse complaints from NGOs and wildlife organisations.

Considering the sweeping allegations the top court said inviting a counter from the private respondent or any other party would not serve much purpose.

Ordinarily, the court said, a petition resting on such unsupported allegations does not deserve in law to be entertained, rather it warrants dismissal in limine.

It said besides Justice Chelameswar, other members of the SIT will be Justice (retired) Raghavendra Chauhan (former chief justice of the Uttarakhand and Telangana high courts), former Mumbai commissioner of police Hemant Nagrale and former Indian Revenue Service officer Anish Gupta.

The order was said to neither "express any opinion on the allegations made in the petitions nor can it be construed to have cast any doubt" on the functioning of any of the statutory authorities or Vantara.

The court directed the SIT to examine and submit its report on the acquisition of animals from India and abroad, particularly elephants, compliance with the Wild Life (Protection) Act and rules for zoos made thereunder, the International Convention on Trade of Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna, the import-export laws and other statutory requirements concerning the import and export of live animals.

The SIT was further ordered to examine the compliance when it came to standards of animal husbandry, veterinary care, standards of animal welfare, mortalities and causes thereof, complaints regarding climatic conditions and allegations concerning location near an industrial zone, complaints regarding the creation of a vanity or private collection, breeding, conservation programmes and use of biodiversity resources.

The panel would also look into complaints regarding issues of financial compliance, money laundering and regarding any other subject, issue or matter germane to the allegations made in these petitions, the top court said.

On August 14, the top court described as "completely vague" the plea filed by petitioner C R Jaya Sukin seeking to get a monitoring committee formed to return the captive elephants in Vantara to their owners.