The Supreme Court of India on Thursday quashed the First Information Report (FIR) and all subsequent legal proceedings against popular YouTuber and reality TV star Elvish Yadav in the high-profile 2023 snake venom case.
A bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and N. Kotiswar Singh ruled that the case against Yadav could not be sustained under the law. The decision effectively ends the criminal proceedings that began with an FIR registered by the Uttar Pradesh Police on November 22, 2023.
The apex court’s primary observation centered on the procedural validity of the case under the Wildlife (Protection) Act. The bench noted that the complaint leading to the FIR was not filed by an authorized person as mandated by the Act.
“The case cannot be sustained in law as the complaint under the Wildlife (Protection) Act was not filed by an authorised person,” the bench observed.
Furthermore, the Court addressed the charges invoked under the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The bench clarified that these provisions were inapplicable because the liquid recovered from the co-accused—identified as anti-venom—did not fall under the list of prescribed substances in the NDPS schedule.
The judges also pointed out that the Indian Penal Code (IPC) offences listed in the Uttar Pradesh FIR were largely based on an earlier investigation in Gurugram. Since a closure report had already been filed in the Gurugram case, the Court found no grounds to continue the proceedings in Noida.
By quashing the FIR, the Supreme Court has also set aside the chargesheet and the cognisance order previously issued by the trial court. This follows a stay on the trial court proceedings that the apex court had granted on August 6, 2024.
Elvish Yadav, a well-known social media influencer and winner of Bigg Boss OTT 2, was arrested on March 17, 2024. The allegations suggested the use and supply of snake venom as a recreational drug at “rave” parties in Noida, which reportedly included foreign nationals.
Yadav had approached the Supreme Court after the Allahabad High Court refused to quash the chargesheet, describing the alleged offences as “serious.”
During the proceedings, Yadav’s counsel argued that the FIR was fueled by media attention rather than evidence. The defense emphasized that:
- No snakes, narcotics, or psychotropic substances were ever recovered from Yadav personally.
- No “causal link” was established between Yadav and the other co-accused.
- The informant, while claiming to be an animal welfare officer, no longer held that official position at the time of filing the FIR.
With this ruling, the Supreme Court has cleared Yadav of the charges, citing fundamental legal and procedural failures in the prosecution’s case.
