Snake venom case: Noida police recover diary detailing venom supply to parties
There are six locations in Delhi, Faridabad and Gurugram mentioned in the diary where the parties are believed to have taken place, said police
In a major breakthrough in the probe into the alleged illegal supply of snake venom to parties for recreational use, police have recovered a diary detailing the parties and venues to which venom was allegedly supplied by the five men in custody in connection with the case.
Although YouTuber influencer Elvish Yadav is also named in the FIR, police said they are still probing his link to the five men who were arrested on November 2, while in possession of nine snakes and a 20ml vial of suspected snake venom.
The six men, including Yadav, were booked 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 was questioned in the matter last Wednesday, said senior officers.
Police said the diary was recovered based on information revealed during the custodial interrogation of the five men, identified as 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.
The five arrested were remanded in police custody for 54 hours on Thursday. Police said the suspects were questioned about the allegations that they provided snake venom to celebrities and others at parties.
“A diary has been recovered from the residence of prime suspect Rahul Chauhan, which lists some important locations where the alleged parties were held, as well as some contact numbers of people who are believed to have organised these parties,” said Sureshrao A. Kulkarni, additional commissioner of police (law and order), Noida.
Investigators said the suspects were taken to the locations mentioned in the diary.
“There are six locations in Delhi, Faridabad and Gurugram mentioned in the diary where the parties are believed to have taken place. Suspect Chauhan denied having organised parties at these places, but the suspect was then taken to the spot by the police and confronted with technical evidence such as CCTV recordings. He then confessed to be being there and revealed more information about the people who organised the parties,” a senior officer, who is part of the investigation, said.
The officer said names of another celebrity singer has been mentioned in the diary, and police are looking into that person’s links with the arrested men.
Apart from that, the suspects told police that they brought the snakes and venom from Badarpur in Delhi.
“We will approach the local court again for remand custody of the five suspects. We will also ask Yadav to join investigation once more when we have technical evidence and call detail records, on the basis of which he will be further questioned,” said the officer.
