'Popularity Of Accused Cannot Be Basis Of Extension Of Protection': Allahabad HC Refuses To Quash Case Against Elvish Yadav In Snake Venom Case

The Allahabad High Court has rejected to provide legal protection to You Tuber Elvish Yadav in the Snake Venom case. The Court stated that popularity or position of the accused cannot be grounds for legal relief and that all individuals are equal in the eyes of the law.

Elvish Yadav had knocked the doors of the court under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), challenging the charge-sheet filed on April 5, 2024, the subsequent summoning order dated April 8, 2024, and the entire criminal proceedings in Case Crime No. 461 of 2023.

The case began with an FIR registered at Sector-49 Police Station in Noida. The FIR accuses the social media influencer and others of violating provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, IPC, and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

The court in its observation said, "The popularity or position of the accused cannot be basis of extension of protection and as per law of this land each and every person irrespective of his popularity or personality are equal in the eye of law."

For the unversed, Elvish Yadav was arrested on March 17 2024, and was sent to 14-day judicial custody in the case. He was granted bail after five days. It all started after the complaint of Gaurav Gupta, an official of BJP MP Maneka Gandhi's organization People for Animals.

A case was registered against six people including Elvish Yadav in Sector 49 police station of Noida on November 2 2023 under various sections of the Wildlife Protection Act. In connection with the investigation of the case, five people including four snake charmers were arrested in the case with the help of the organization.