The High Court of India sends the investigators to a large collection of private animals

Investigators in India will visit a vast private zoo belonging to the Ambani billionaire family, after the Supreme Court ordered an investigation into the allegations that the animals were acquired illegally and mistreated.

The investigation will also examine the possible violations of fauna laws in Vantara, as well as allegations of financial irregularities and money laundering.

The Supreme Court said there was no evidence to support allegations but had ordered an investigation because the authorities had been accused of failure of their functions.

Vantara, directed by Annant Ambani – son of the richest man in Asia, Mukesh Ambani – houses hundreds of elephants, tigers and other animals. He promised complete cooperation with the investigation.

“Vantara remains attached to transparency, compassion and full compliance with law. Our mission and our concentration continues to be the rescue, rehabilitation and care of animals,” he said, without directly commenting on allegations.

Distributed over 3,500 acres and houses some 2,000 species, Vantara presents itself as the largest rehabilitation center for wildlife in the world. It was one of the places for the sumptuous pre-mariage events of Annant Ambani who made the headlines of the world last year.

The animal collection is located in Jamnagar in the western state of Gujarat, not far from the oil refinery of Mukesh Ambani – the largest in the world.

Vantara was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March of this year, who described the effort as “really laudable”, while sharing overviews of his visit to X.

But it is closed to the public and has long criticized militants of fauna and environmentalists.

The Supreme Court ruled on public interest petitions which, according to him, contained “underestimated” allegations.

But he added: “Following allegations according to which the statutory authorities or the courts are not willing or unable to unload their mandate … We consider that it is appropriate at the end of justice to call for an independent factual assessment.”

Vantara houses a wide variety of animals – including around 200 elephants, 300 large cats such as leopards, tigers and lions, and more than 300 herbivores and 1,200 reptiles, according to the news website18, part of the Conglomérat Reliance belonging to the Ambani family.

Photos of stars of the Indian cinema visiting the refuge made the headlines in March of last year, when they visited the installation as part of the pre-mariage celebrations of Anant Ambani and Radhika Marchand. The event was followed by celebrities, politicians and world entrepreneurs.

The refuge was at the center of angry demonstrations in the state of Maharashtra recently, after a sick elephant called Mahadevi, kept in a Jain temple in the city of Kolhapur for three decades, was moved to Vantara in July, after a prescription from the high court.

Following the criticisms, the chief minister of the Maharashtra said that the government of the State would file a request for review to the Supreme Court to bring Mahadevi back.

Activists also said that the location of Vantara in the state of Gujarat, with its warm and dry climate, as well as its location alongside a giant oil refinery, was not suitable for some of the species kept in the center.

During the hearing on Tuesday, the Supreme Court asked the Panel of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of four members of four retired judges to submit its report on Vantara before September 12.

The investigation, she said, would focus on allegations of illegal animals – in particular elephants – as well as violations of fauna laws and allegations of financial irregularities and money laundering.

The SIT will also examine complaints “concerning climatic conditions” and the allegations of the establishment being located near an industrial zone.

Local media reported that the SIT had held its first meeting on Tuesday, which focused on the allocation of roles and responsibilities to its members.

The next court hearing is scheduled for September 15.

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