Elvish Yadav performed aarti at Eknath Shinde's house, what's this alliance: Sanjay Raut

What is the alliance between Eknath Shinde and Elvish Yadav that Elvish performs aarti at CM's residence, Sanjay Raut asked.

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday said YouTuber Elvish Yadav who has been booked on allegations of using snake venom at rave parties visited Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde's house and performed aarti of Ganpati. "What is this gathbandhan? Elvish Yadav, the biggest drug mafia of the country who sells snake venom comes to CM's residence. He was warmly welcomed at his residence and then he performed Ganesh aarti. Did the CM have no intelligence about who comes to his bungalow? Is the Maharashtra drugs racket being operated under the protection of the CM?" Sanjay Raut said.

Elvish Yadav performing aarti at Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde's residence became a flashpoint in Maharashtra politics after Elvish was booked by Noida police.

Maharashtra Congress leader Atul Londhe on Friday raised the same issue and asked why Eknath Shinde invited Elvish Yadav for a puja at the CM's official residence. “Is the chief minister’s residence now a tourist spot for criminals? A…YouTuber like Elvish Yadav who is accused of organising rave parties with snake drugs was specially invited for a puja at the CM’s official residence,” Atul Londhe wrote posting a photograph of Elvish doing aarti with Shinde looking on.

Acting on a tip-off provided by BJP MP Maneka Gandhi's NGO People for Animals, Noida Police on Friday arrested five people in connection with a snake venom selling racket. The FIR named YouTuber Elvish Yadav as one of the accused based on the information provided by Maneka Gandhi's NGO. While Elvish Yadav slammed the BJP MP and refuted all allegations assuring cooperation in the probe, Maneka Gandhi said her NGO people started their investigation from Elvish Yadav himself and he provided the contact of his agents for snake venom. The NGO had information that Elvish procures rare snakes and use them for his videos and also for rave parties.

The five accused were sent to 14 days' judicial custody. Maneka Gandhi sought immediate arrest of Elvish Yadav and called this a grade one wildlife crime punishable by three years imprisonment.