The Supreme Court on Thursday quashed the criminal proceedings against YouTuber Elvish Yadav under the Wildlife (Protection) Act and Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, in connection with the use of protected species of animals in his videos and the alleged recovery of snake venom from a co-accused.
A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N K Singh agreed with Yadav’s counsel, Senior Advocate Mukta Gupta and Advocate Raman Yadav, that snake venom did not fall in the category of psychotropic drugs under the NDPS Act.
“Insofar as the issue pertaining to Section 2(23) of the NDPA Act is concerned, admittedly, what is recovered from the co-accused cannot come within the purview of psychotropic substances found in the schedule (of the Act),” the bench said.
The court noted that there was no recovery from Elvish Yadav, and the charge sheet only said he placed orders through an associate.
On the offence under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, the bench said Section 55 necessitates that the complaint must be lodged by a person authorised under the Act. But in this case, it was made by a wildlife activist associated with the NGO People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
The court also noted that the charges against him under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) were based on an earlier FIR registered in Gurgaon, in which a closure report had already been filed.
However, the bench said the competent authority can proceed against him by initiating appropriate proceedings by filing a proper complaint under Section 55 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.
“We are not going to give a clean chit to this person. If he has committed something, it has to be done,” said Justice Sundresh.
In May 2025, the Allahabad High Court dismissed his petition challenging the chargesheet and summons issued to him. He then approached the SC, which stayed the trial proceedings on August 6, 2025.
According to the FIR, the Bigg Boss OTT 2 winner used to shoot videos with live snakes and snake venom at farmhouses in Noida and the National Capital Region (NCR), along with other gang members and YouTubers. He also reportedly organised illegal rave parties, during which foreign girls were regularly invited, and snake venom and intoxicants were consumed.
