Youtuber Elvish Yadav Arrested in Noida for Alleged Involvement in Snake Venom Case

Noida: YouTuber Elvish Yadav was arrested on Sunday by Noida Police in connection with an investigation into the suspected use of snake venom as a recreational drug at a party, officials stated.

Yadav was one of six individuals named in an FIR filed at Sector 49 police station on November 3 last year. While the other five accused were arrested earlier, they are currently out on bail, according to officials.

The case was registered under provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and for criminal conspiracy under section 120B of the Indian Penal Code, they added.

Subsequently, the case was transferred from Sector 49 to Sector 20 police station for further investigation.

“The accused was apprehended by a team from Sector 20 police station, which was handling the case,” Additional DCP (Noida) Manish Mishra informed PTI.

Yadav, known as a winner of the reality show ‘Bigg Boss OTT’, has denied any involvement in the case and has previously been questioned by the police.

A sub-inspector, who was also in charge of the Sector 49 police station where the FIR was filed, has been transferred.

The case was initiated on the complaint of an official from the animal rights group People For Animals (PFA).

Five individuals were apprehended from a banquet hall in Sector 51 on November 3, and nine snakes, including five cobras, were rescued from their possession, alongside 20 ml of suspected snake venom.

However, police clarified that Yadav was not present at the party hall, and they are investigating his role in the entire case of snake venom usage as a recreational drug.

PFA chairperson and BJP leader Maneka Gandhi has accused Yadav of illegally selling snake venom and demanded his immediate arrest.

On November 4, Yadav was briefly detained for questioning by police in Rajasthan’s Kota while traveling with his friends in a car but was subsequently released.