The Supreme Court has quashed the FIR against YouTuber Elvish Yadav in the snake venom case, citing legal lapses in the complaint and ruling that charges under wildlife, IPC, and NDPS laws could not stand.
Supreme Court quashes FIR against YouTuber in snake venom case
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday set aside the FIR and all related proceedings against YouTuber Elvish Yadav in the 2023 snake venom case, citing multiple legal lapses that made the case unsustainable.
A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh noted that the complaint under the Wildlife (Protection) Act was not filed by an authorised person, a requirement under the law. The court observed that this alone was sufficient to invalidate the proceedings.
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The bench also examined charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), noting that they were linked to a separate case registered in Gurugram. Since a closure report had already been filed in that matter, the court said it weakened the basis for invoking IPC provisions in the present case.
On the application of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the court found that the substance described as anti-venom, recovered from a co-accused, was not listed as a prohibited item under the Act. As a result, NDPS charges could not be sustained.
Referring to earlier legal precedents, the bench ruled that the case did not meet the threshold required to proceed under any of the invoked laws. It subsequently quashed the FIR, chargesheet, and the trial court’s cognisance order.
The case originated from an FIR registered on November 22, 2023, by Uttar Pradesh Police, alleging the use of snake venom at rave parties in Noida. Elvish Yadav was arrested in March 2024 in connection with the allegations.
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He had earlier challenged a decision of the Allahabad High Court, which had refused to quash the chargesheet and termed the allegations serious. The Supreme Court had stayed trial proceedings in August last year.
Yadav’s counsel argued that no snakes, narcotics, or psychotropic substances were recovered from him and that there was no direct evidence linking him to the alleged activities. The defence also questioned the complainant’s authority to file the case.
The ruling brings an end to the legal proceedings against the YouTuber, closing a case that had drawn widespread public and media attention.
