Elvish Yadav, the winner of Bigg Boss OTT, has found himself in legal trouble after being arrested in connection with a snake venom-rave party case. On Sunday, he was remanded to 14-day judicial custody following allegations of arranging snake venom at rave parties, resulting in a case under the Wildlife Act in Noida.
The case revolves around the alleged utilization of snake venom as a recreational drug at rave parties held in Noida last year. Mr Yadav is accused of organizing the presence of snake venom at these parties and incorporating snakes into his video shoots.
The police investigation gained momentum when a snake smuggling racket was busted in November last year during a raid at a banquet hall in Noida Sector 51. At these events, five individuals, including four snake charmers, were apprehended for supplying snake venom. Additionally, nine snakes, including cobras and poison, were seized during the raid.
Subsequent forensic analysis confirmed the presence of venom from cobra and krait species in the samples recovered from the banquet hall. This breakthrough was facilitated by an NGO, People For Animals, which had laid a trap to expose the illegal activities.
In his defense, Elvish Yadav has reportedly criticized Bollywood singer Fazilpuria, claiming that the snakes used in his video shoots were arranged by Fazilpuria.
The five individuals arrested in the snake venom case have disclosed to the authorities that they supplied the venom at rave parties allegedly organized by Elvish Yadav. Their arrest followed a complaint from a People For Animals member who engaged with Yadav as part of a trap operation.
The involvement of snake venom in recreational settings is a dangerous practice known as snake venom addiction or ophidism. This form of substance abuse poses severe health risks due to the neurotoxins present in snake venom, leading to unpredictable and potentially fatal effects.
Although the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act of 1985 governs the use and possession of drugs, including substances derived from snake venom, the authorities have not invoked this act against Mr Yadav, citing the absence of drugs during their investigation.
Former Union Minister Maneka Gandhi has also accused Elvish Yadav of illegally selling snake venom and has called for his immediate arrest, further complicating the legal proceedings surrounding this case.
