Cobra, krait venom found in samples taken from Noida party venue

ine snakes -- five cobras, a python, two sand snakes and a rat snake -- and 20ml vial of suspected snake venom were recovered by a joint team of Noida police and the Gautam Budh Nagar district forest department during a search at the banquet hall in Sector 51

Spelling fresh trouble for popular YouTuber and Bigg Boss OTT 2 winner Elvish Yadav, the liquid samples collected from a party in Noida last November have tested positive for cobra and krait venom, the Gautam Budh Nagar police said on Friday.

On November 2 last year, YouTuber Elvish Yadav and five of his alleged associates were booked for supplying snake venom to a party in Noida’s Sector 51. (HT Archive)

On November 2 last year, Yadav and five of his alleged associates were booked under the Wildlife (Protection) Act and Section 120A (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly providing snake venom to revellers at a party in Noida’s Sector 51.

Nine snakes -- five cobras, a python, two sand snakes and a rat snake -- and 20ml vial of suspected snake venom were recovered by a joint team of Noida police and the Gautam Budh Nagar district forest department during a search at the banquet hall in Sector 51.

According to a senior officer, who is part of the investigation, the samples were tested at Jaipur’s state forensic science laboratory (FSL) as that centre specialises in snake venom.

“The report from the laboratory came on Thursday, and it stated that samples contained venom of cobra and krait. Further investigation in the matter is underway,” said the officer, asking not to be named.

The search at the party was carried out following a complaint by People for Animals (PFA) office bearers Gaurav Gupta and Saurabh Gupta. While five of those named in the FIR were arrested, Yadav was questioned in the matter and allowed to go. Yadav was not present at the party where the raid happened, but has been accused of providing venom to revellers through his associates.

In their complaint, PFA officer-bearers said they posed as organisers of a rave party and asked the YouTuber to supply venom to a banquet hall in Sector 51, Noida. Yadav, they alleged, directed them to Rahul, who met the PFA team outside the banquet hall along with four snake charmers.

“Krait is an extremely venomous snake, more venomous than even cobras. They are both protected under Schedule 1 of Wildlife Protection Act. The lab reports confirm that snake venom was being used at the party for intoxication purposes. We now demand that the police arrest Yadav and the others,” said complainant Saurabh Gupta.