Supreme Court Quashes Elvish Yadav Snake Venom Case

India's Supreme Court on Thursday quashed criminal proceedings against popular YouTuber and Bigg Boss OTT 2 winner Elvish Yadav in a case alleging the procurement and use of snake venom at rave parties in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The decision, delivered by a bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and N. Kotiswar Singh, centered on procedural and legal flaws in the case registered in November 2023, providing significant relief to Yadav while leaving open the possibility of fresh investigations.

The case stemmed from a first information report filed on November 22, 2023, at the Sector 49 police station in Noida, following a complaint by the animal rights group People for Animals. The allegations claimed that Yadav and others had organized events in the National Capital Region where snake venom was used as a recreational substance, including by foreign nationals. Yadav was arrested on March 17, 2024, and a chargesheet was filed under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act), the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The charges included smuggling, consumption, and conspiracy related to the venom.