Apex court stays trial court proceedings against YouTuber Elvish Yadav in snake venom case

The Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed proceedings in the trial court against YouTuber Elvish Yadav in the snake venom case.

A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and the complainant Gaurav Gupta on the plea filed by Yadav challenging the chargesheet and criminal proceedings against him in the case.

The top court was hearing an appeal filed by Yadav against an order of the Allahabad High Court which dismissed his plea.

The chargesheet alleges consumption of snake venom as a recreational drug at "rave" parties by people, including foreigners.

Yadav was arrested in March last year by Noida police in connection with the case.

Yadav's counsel had argued in the high court that no snakes, narcotic or psychotropic substances were recovered from him besides the fact that no causal link was established between the applicant and the co-accused.

Though the informant was no longer an Animal Welfare Officer, he filed the FIR showing himself to be one, the counsel had added.

Calling Yadav a "well-known influencer" and someone who appears in multiple reality shows on television, the counsel had said his involvement in the FIR garnered "much media attention".