The Maharashtra government will file a review petition in the Supreme Court seeking that an ailing elephant who was moved to the Vantara animal rescue centre in Gujarat be brought back to the Kolhapur district, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Tuesday.

Fadnavis added on Wednesday that Vantara, run by Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation, has agreed to join the petition before the Supreme Court.

In July, the Bombay High Court ordered the rehabilitation of the female elephant, named Madhuri, in Vantara based on a petition by the non-governmental organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. For 34 years, the elephant had been at a Jain monastery, named the Swastishri Jinsen Bhattarak Pattacharya Mahaswami Sansthan Mutt, in Kolhapur’s Nandani village.

PETA claimed that the elephant, who is also known as Mahadevi, had been confined in chains and deprived of interactions with other elephants at the monastery.

On July 28, the Supreme Court upheld the Bombay High Court order, The Hindu reported. Two days later, when Madhuri was moved to Vantara, protests erupted in Kolhapur and the bordering Sangli district.

Protesters held a 40-km rally from the Nandani village to Kolhapur city. A signature campaign was also held against the transfer, during which agitators resolved to boycott products by Reliance and its telecommunications company Jio, according to The Hindu.

Fadnavis on Tuesday said that the government had taken note of the “strong public sentiment” for Madhuri’s return to Kolhapur. He added that a team, which will include veterinary doctors, will be formed so that the elephant is taken care of.

Cases filed against citizens who took part in the protests will be withdrawn, the chief minister added.

On Wednesday, Fadnavis wrote in a social media post that the Vantara team said it was willing to build a rehabilitation centre for Madhuri at a place selected by the Maharashtra forest department near Nandani village. “Vantara told that they are acting only on the orders of the Hon Supreme Court and had no intentions to grab the custody of Madhuri,” he said on X.

Vantara also stated on Wednesday that it had not initiated or recommended the relocation of the elephant, and that it was only acting in compliance with Supreme Court and High Court orders. It added that it had no intention of interfering with religious practices or sentiments.

“Vantara will extend full support to any application filed by the Jain Matha and the Government of Maharashtra before the Hon’ble Court requesting Madhuri’s return to Kolhapur,” it said.