Noida police notice to YouTuber Elvish Yadav in snake venom case

While five of those named in the FIR were arrested, Yadav is yet to be arrested, said senior officers, adding that Yadav was not present at the party

The Gautam Budh Nagar police on Tuesday sent a notice to YouTuber Elvish Yadav to join investigation and record his statement in the case pertaining to the supply of snake venom at a party in Noida, allegedly for recreational use. Five suspects have been arrested in this connection last Thursday, police said, while the YouTuber’s alleged role in the racket is under probe.

Six people, including YouTuber Elvish Yadav, were booked on Thursday under the Wildlife (Protection) Act and Section 120A (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly providing snake venom for a party in Noida’s Sector 51. (ANI)

Six people, including YouTuber Elvish Yadav, were booked on Thursday under the Wildlife (Protection) Act and Section 120A (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly providing snake venom for a party in Noida’s Sector 51.

While five of those named in the FIR were arrested, Yadav is yet to be arrested, said senior officers, adding that Yadav was not present at the party.

Officials said that a notice under Section 41 to appear before a police officer) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) has been sent to Yadav on Tuesday.

“We have sent a notice to Yadav and asked him to join investigation and record his statement in the case. He faces charges under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, which are stringent and non-bailable and can attract a jail term of seven years. His role in the case is being investigated,” said Harish Chander, deputy commissioner of police, Noida.

Earlier, in a video posted on his social media, Yadav said he is cooperating with the investigating agencies.

While a case in the matter was registered at the Sector 49 police station, the investigation has been transferred to the Sector 20 police station on Monday, officials said.

An official part of the investigation said investigators prepared a questionnaire on the basis of which Yadav will be questioned by the police.

“Following the notice, we are expecting Yadav to come to the Sector 20 police station to record his statement. We have also prepared a questionnaire for him,” said the officer requesting anonymity.

The police have also sought on remand the five arrested suspects, who are currently in judicial custody, for questioning. The five people arrested are Rahul Chauhan (32), Teetunath (45) and Narayan (50), both sons of Harinath, and Ravinath (45) son of Chandinath, all residents of Moharband village in south-east Delhi’s Badarpur.

A vial with 20ml liquid — believed to be snake venom — and nine snakes, including five cobras and a python — were recovered from the suspects on Thursday. Officials said the forensics report identifying the liquid’s composition is still awaited.

“The liquid recovered from the suspects was sent to Uttar Pradesh state forensic laboratory in Lucknow for investigation to ascertain whether it was snake venom. The report is awaited,” added the officer.

The snakes recovered by the police are in custody of the forest department. PK Srivastava, district forest officer, said the department has approached the district court on Tuesday to acquire a release order for the snakes.

“Once we have the release orders, the snakes will be released in the Surajpur wetland in Greater Noida,” he said.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh’s forest and environment minister Arun Saxena who was in Noida on Tuesday said, “The law will take its course. No celebrity, however big, is bigger than the law.”