2 months ago
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The Supreme Court connected Thursday (March 19, 2026) quashed an FIR and consequent proceedings against YouTuber Elvish Yadav nether the Wildlife (Protection) Act successful the snake venom lawsuit registered by Uttar Pradesh Police successful 2023.
A Bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and N. Kotiswar Singh said the lawsuit cannot beryllium sustained successful instrumentality arsenic the ailment nether the Wildlife (Protection) Act was not filed by an authorised person.
It said that offences nether the Indian Penal Code (IPC) invoked successful the FIR against Mr. Yadav were based connected an earlier FIR registered successful Gurugram, successful which a closure study has been filed.
Referring to the provisions of the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substance Act (NDPS) Act invoked successful the FIR against Mr. Yadav, the Bench said these cannot beryllium invoked arsenic the liquid substance (anti-venom) recovered from the co-accused was not a prescribed substance nether the schedule.
It referred to the earlier decisions of the tribunal and said that the lawsuit against Yadav cannot beryllium sustained successful law, quashing the FIR and consequent proceedings, including filing of the chargesheet and cognisance bid of the proceedings court.
The lawsuit against Mr. Yadav was registered connected November 22, 2023, and helium was arrested connected March 17, 2024, for the alleged usage of snake venom astatine a rave enactment successful Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
The arguable YouTuber challenged an Allahabad High Court bid refusing to quash the chargesheet and the cognisance bid of the proceedings court, terming it a superior offence.
On August 6 past year, the apex tribunal stayed proceedings successful the proceedings tribunal against Mr. Yadav successful the case.
The chargesheet alleged the depletion of snake venom arsenic a recreational cause astatine "rave" parties by people, including foreigners.
Mr. Yadav's counsel had argued successful the precocious tribunal that nary snakes, narcotics oregon psychotropic substances were recovered from him and nary causal nexus was established betwixt the applicant and the co-accused.
Though the informant was nary longer an carnal payment officer, helium filed the FIR showing himself to beryllium one, the counsel had added.
Calling Mr. Yadav a "well-known influencer" and idiosyncratic who appears successful aggregate world shows connected television, the counsel had said his engagement successful the FIR garnered "much media attention".
