Uttar Pradesh Police on Sunday arrested YouTuber Elvish Yadav in a case registered in November relating to the alleged use of snake venom for recreational purposes at a party in Noida, PTI reported.
The social media influencer was sent to 14-day judicial custody by a magistrate. The first information report against Yadav was registered by the Noida Police in November under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and Indian Penal Code sections 120B (party to criminal conspiracy), 284 (negligent conduct related to poison that endangers human safety) and 289 (negligent conduct with respect to animals).
The police said it has added provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act to the FIR.
“Elvish Yadav was called for questioning in the case,” Vidya Sagar Mishra, Noida’s deputy commissioner of police, said. “He was arrested after adequate evidence, including those linked to the NDPS Act, was found in the case. Further investigation is underway.”
The forensic investigation of the samples collected from the party found use of snake venom, the police said.
Besides Yadav, a resident of Haryana’s Gurugram, six others, including five said to be snake charmers, were named in the FIR. The five persons had been arrested earlier but are out on bail, The Print reported.
On Sunday, the police put the YouTuber, who won the reality show Bigg Boss OTT in 2023, in Greater Noida’s Luksar jail after the magistrate at a special court in Surajpur ordered his judicial remand.
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