New Delhi: The Supreme Court has ordered a high-level probe into Vantara, Reliance Foundation’s ambitious wildlife rehabilitation and conservation project in Gujarat. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by former Supreme Court judge Justice J. Chelameswar will scrutinize alleged violations of environmental, wildlife, and financial regulations, including the transfer of animals to the facility.
Joining Justice Chelameswar on the panel are Justice Raghvendra Chauhan (former Chief Justice of Uttarakhand and Telangana High Courts), Hemant Nagrale, IPS (former Mumbai Police Commissioner), and Anish Gupta, IRS (Additional Commissioner of Customs). The SIT has been directed to carry out a comprehensive inquiry into all aspects of the project.
Launched by Reliance Foundation, Vantara aims to rescue, treat, and rehabilitate injured and endangered animals from across India and abroad. The project spans 3,000 acres in the green belt of Reliance’s Jamnagar refinery complex and is home to over 2,000 animals across 43 species. Among them are 200 leopards, crocodiles, and rare species rescued from Africa and Mexico.
The initiative is the brainchild of Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani, who serves as a director on the boards of both Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation.
