Big Win for Anant Ambani as Supreme Court appointed SIT gives clean chit to Vantara, foundation issues statement, says…

New Delhi: The Supreme Court cleared Reliance Foundation-owned Vantara of all allegations of animal smuggling, money laundering, and violation of statutory laws. The top court said that the SIT’s “exhaustive investigation” had found “no contravention in law”. Saying that it had “no hesitation” in accepting this conclusion, the court closed the suo motu proceedings in the matter.

The bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and P B Varale also said that to “secure finality”, no judicial, statutory or administrative forum shall entertain “any further complaint or proceedings based on the same set of allegations”. It said the SIT “found that the Vantara facilities exceed prescribed benchmark and the mortality figures align with the global zoological averages.”

To recall, the SIT, which also included former high court chief justice Raghavendra Chauhan, former Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale, and Additional Commissioner, Customs, Anish Gupta, submitted its sealed report on 12 September.

Vantara Issues Statement:

After the court’s findings, Vantara issued a statement, saying: “The SIT’s report and the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s order have made it clear that the doubts and allegations raised against Vantara’s animal welfare mission were without any basis. The validation of the truth by the distinguished and widely respected members of the SIT is not just a relief for everyone at Vantara but also a blessing, because it allows our work to speak for itself.”

“The Spix Macaws, for example, were loaned to GZRRC as part of the ACTP conservation breeding program, aimed at reintroducing the species to its natural range. The SIT also noted that GZRRC has engaged with Brazilian authorities to facilitate this program, which is still in its preliminary stage. Importantly, the investigation found no illegality in Vantara’s actions concerning international animal transfers, putting to rest prior allegations,” Vantara said in a release.

The SIT also found that the allegations of misuse of carbon credits, water resources, or financial impropriety at Vantara were baseless.

The wildlife sanctuary stated that the independent body Global Human Society (GHS) also conducted a thorough site inspection and audit further validating Vantara’s high standards. It was awarded the ‘Global Humane Certified Seal of Approval’, a testament to its exemplary care and conservation practices.

“Backed by the visionary leadership of Anant Ambani and a team of dedicated experts, Vantara continues to set a global benchmark in wildlife care and rehabilitation, ensuring a safe and thriving environment for all its residents,” it added.