Supreme Court Grants Temporary Relief To YouTuber Elvish Yadav

The Supreme Court of India has granted interim relief to popular YouTuber Elvish Yadav in the alleged rave party and snake venom misuse case.

The court has stayed the proceedings in the lower court and issued notices to the Uttar Pradesh government and the complainant, seeking their responses.

Elvish Yadav Challenges Allahabad High Court Order

Yadav moved the Supreme Court challenging the Allahabad High Court’s decision, which had refused to stay the FIR and the chargesheet filed against him.

The High Court, in May 2024, rejected his petition, stating that the FIR and chargesheet contained statements against Yadav that required investigation during the trial. Justice Saurabh Srivastava had delivered the single-bench verdict.

Allegations Include Snake Venom Misuse and Hosting Foreigners at Rave Party

The Noida Police booked Elvish Yadav for allegedly organising a rave party and misusing snake venom as a narcotic substance. He is also accused of inviting foreigners to the event and enabling the use of snake venom and other intoxicants during the party.

The FIR was registered at Sector 49 police station in Gautam Buddha Nagar under multiple sections, including:

• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Sections 9, 39, 48A, 49, 50, and 51
• Indian Penal Code: Sections 284 (Negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substance), 289 (Negligent conduct with respect to animals), and 120B (Criminal conspiracy)
• NDPS Act: Sections 8, 22, 29, 30, and 32

In April 2024, the police filed a voluminous 1,200-page chargesheet against Yadav and other accused in the case. The document reportedly includes detailed statements and evidence linking the YouTuber to the alleged activities.

Yadav Denies Charges, Questions Legitimacy of Complainant

Yadav’s legal counsel stated that the authorities did not recover any snake or narcotic substance from his possession. He further claimed he had no links to the co-accused. His petition also questioned the credibility of the complainant, stating that the person was not an authorised officer under the Wildlife Protection Act and had falsely projected himself as an animal welfare officer.

The petition urged the court to quash the chargesheet, calling the case baseless and driven by ulterior motives.

The Supreme Court will hear the matter further after receiving responses from the Uttar Pradesh government and the complainant. Until then, proceedings in the lower court will remain on hold.

Also Read: Supreme Court Refuses Relief To Former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel & Son In PMLA Case