Prayagraj, May 12 – The Allahabad High Court on Monday rejected YouTuber Elvish Yadav's petition challenging the chargesheet and ongoing criminal proceedings against him in connection with the high-profile snake venom case.
The case, which involves allegations of using snake venom as a recreational drug at rave parties, including those attended by foreign nationals, has drawn significant media attention. Justice Saurabh Srivastava, while dismissing the plea, stated that the veracity of the allegations presented in the FIR and chargesheet would be examined during the trial.
Defence Arguments Fall Short
Yadav’s legal team, comprising senior counsel Navin Sinha and advocate Nipun Singh, argued that the FIR was invalid as it was lodged by someone allegedly not authorised under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The counsel claimed the informant misrepresented himself as an Animal Welfare Officer.Further, Yadav's lawyers contended that he was not present at the alleged party in Noida and that no snake venom, snakes, or narcotic substances were recovered from him. They asserted there was no direct link between Yadav and the co-accused individuals involved in the case.
They also highlighted that Yadav is a "well-known influencer" and participant in multiple reality shows, suggesting that media attention surrounding his arrest led to the police amplifying the charges by initially invoking Sections 27 and 27A of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. These sections pertain to the consumption and financing of narcotic drug-related offences. However, the counsel pointed out that these additional charges were eventually dropped for lack of evidence.
State Stands by Investigation
Countering the defence’s claims, Additional Advocate General Manish Goel maintained that the police investigation revealed Yadav’s involvement in supplying snakes to individuals from whom illegal substances were recovered. He defended the credibility of the probe and insisted that there was sufficient material to proceed with the trial.Yadav was arrested in March last year by the Noida police in relation to the case. With the court now refusing to quash the chargesheet or halt proceedings, the matter is set to move forward through regular trial procedures.