Further Arrests Made in Elvish Yadav Snake Venom Case
In the ongoing investigation concerning the alleged distribution of snake venom for recreational purposes in Noida, two more individuals have been apprehended by the Noida Police. This development comes in the aftermath of the recent arrest of YouTuber and Bigg Boss OTT 2 winner, Elvish Yadav, who stands accused in the case.
The Noida Police disclosed that the newly arrested suspects, identified as Ishwar and Vinay, are residents of Haryana, as reported by ANI. Their apprehension marks a significant advancement in the investigation into the illicit activities linked to the distribution of snake venom in Noida.
The arrest of Elvish Yadav has catalyzed an intensification of efforts by the Noida Police, underscoring their commitment to uncovering the full extent of the alleged criminal operation.
Elvish Yadav and five others were charged on November 3 last year under the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA) and Section 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code at Sector 49 police station. They were accused of supplying snake venom to partygoers in Noida purportedly for recreational purposes.
During the arrests, authorities seized nine snakes — five cobras, one python, two sand snakes, and one rat snake. These species are classified as protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. Additionally, a 20ml tube of snake venom was recovered from the possession of the five suspects.
Elvish Yadav, residing in Wazirabad village, Gurugram, was detained by the Noida police on Sunday in relation to the case. He was subsequently remanded to 14-day judicial custody.
Following a forensic report confirming that the 20ml liquid seized from the five initially apprehended suspects was venom extracted from a krait, the police augmented the charges in the FIR to include offenses under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
Elvish Yadav’s legal representatives have asserted that his arrest was conducted unlawfully. According to them, Yadav was initially summoned to participate in the investigation as a witness. However, they claim that he was unlawfully detained by the authorities and subsequently arrested.
Prashant Rathi, representing Elvish Yadav, highlighted that Yadav had cooperated with the investigation on five previous occasions, complying with summons under Section 160 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Rathi contends that on the day of his arrest, Yadav was summoned for questioning but was detained by the police without proper justification. Furthermore, Rathi argues that Yadav was not informed about the grounds for his arrest, a procedural violation in itself.
Regarding the specific charges related to the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA) under which the FIR was filed, Rathi emphasizes that no contraband, such as snake venom, was found in Yadav’s possession. Additionally, Rathi points out that Yadav was not even present at the party where the alleged offenses took place.
Furthermore, Rathi cites Section 55 of the WPA, which stipulates that only a government official is authorized to initiate proceedings for offenses under this Act. In this case, however, Rathi alleges that the complaint was lodged by a member of a non-governmental organization (NGO), which he contends is a violation of the WPA.
