The Supreme Court of India has annulled a First Information Report (FIR) and associated proceedings against YouTuber Elvish Yadav under the Wildlife Protection Act. The order was issued by a bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh, who stated that the case was not legally sustainable due to the complaint not being filed by an authorized individual. The FIR had been registered by the Uttar Pradesh Police in 2023, alleging that Yadav was involved in unlawful activities pertaining to snake venom.

Details of the Case

According to the bench, the offenses invoked from the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Yadav were modeled on a previous FIR lodged in Gurugram, which had led to a closure report being filed. The justices noted that allegations citing provisions from the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act could not be applied, given that the substance identified as anti-venom recovered from the co-accused did not fall under the prescribed schedule of substances. The court referred to previous rulings to support the claim that the legal grounds for the case against Yadav were insufficient, leading to the quashing of the FIR and all ensuing legal actions, including the chargesheet submission and the trial court’s cognizance order.

Timeline of Events

The FIR against Yadav was filed on November 22, 2023, and he was arrested on March 17, 2024, in connection with the alleged utilization of snake venom as a recreational drug at a rave party in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The YouTuber had previously challenged a decision by the Allahabad High Court that denied his request to dismiss the chargesheet and cognizance order from the trial court, asserting that the case was a serious crime.

Proceedings and Arguments

On August 6 of the preceding year, the Supreme Court had put a stay on the trial court’s proceedings against Yadav concerning this matter. The chargesheet detailed that people, including foreign nationals, were allegedly consuming snake venom at these rave parties. Counsel representing Yadav contended in the high court that no snakes, narcotics, or psychotropic substances had been seized from him, and emphasized that there was no demonstrable connection between him and the co-accused in the case.

Legal Representation and Media Attention

The lawyer also pointed out that the individual who filed the FIR was no longer an accredited animal welfare officer. He claimed that the informant presented himself as such at the time of filing. Yadav was characterized as a prominent influencer, noted for his multiple appearances on reality television, and his involvement in this high-profile case attracted considerable media scrutiny.

Long or Short, get news the way you like. No ads. No redirections. Download Newspin and Stay Alert, The CSR Journal Mobile app, for fast, crisp, clean updates!

App Store –  https://apps.apple.com/in/app/newspin/id6746449540 

Google Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inventifweb.newspin&pcampaignid=web_share