Supreme Court of India clears Vantara of wrongdoing
NEW DELHI: THE Supreme Court of India has delivered a landmark ruling affirming that Vantara, a wildlife conservation initiative, is in full compliance with both Indian and international law.
The verdict, handed down on Monday by Justice Jasti Chelameswar (Chairman), Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan (Member), Justice Hemant Nagrate (Member) and Anish Gupta (Secretary), upheld the findings of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) which conducted a comprehensive probe into Vantara’s activities.
According to the order dated September 15, the SIT worked in coordination with the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, CITES Management Authority of India, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Customs Department and various state police units. The investigation established that no statutory violations had been committed.
The Court recorded that Vantara has not breached the Wildlife (Protection) Act, Zoo Rules, CZA Guidelines, Customs Act, Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), or the CITES Convention.
It confirmed that all animal rescues were conducted under valid permits and subjected to multiple levels of scrutiny. The judgment further noted that Vantara’s animal care facilities not only meet but often surpass prescribed welfare and veterinary standards.
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Independent certification by the Global Humane Society, which awarded the organisation the “Global Humane Certified Seal of Approval,” was cited as additional evidence of its commitment to high standards of care.
The SIT also highlighted that previous inquiries and petitions brought against Vantara had concluded with similar findings of no illegality.
Conservation efforts such as cheetah breeding, elephant rescue and the reintroduction of the endangered Spix’s Macaw were recognised as science-based programmes carried out within the framework of the law.
In its ruling, the Court stated that speculative allegations directed at Vantara were unfounded and amounted to abuse of legal process.
By endorsing the SIT’s findings, the Supreme Court cemented Vantara’s standing as a lawful, transparent and globally recognised conservation institution, operating under strict oversight by national and international authorities.
