Explained | Elvish Yadav case and how recreational use of snake venom is becoming an emerging trend in India

The Noida Police on Friday (Nov 3) booked Bigg Boss OTT winner and social media influencer Elvish Yadav and arrested five others for allegedly using snake venom at rave parties.

Yadav, however, has denied the accusations and has expressed his willingness to cooperate with the police in the probe.

He shared a video on his social media handle and refuted the allegations levelled against him as 'fake'.

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"I woke up and heard the news about my alleged arrest in the media. All these allegations against me are fake and without truth. They are not even 1% true. I am willing to cooperate with UP Police. I request the UP Government and the UP CM Yogi Adityanath that even if there is a 0.1% involvement in this then I am willing to take full responsibility. I request the media to not spread any misinformation till then, I have nothing to do with this," he said.

Earlier, the Noida police had conducted a joint raid along with the UP forest department at Sector 51 Saffron Villa in Noida and busted the gang whichallegedly supplied snake venom at the rave party.

According to the police officials, nine snakes, including five cobras, a red snake, a python and two other snakes were recovered from the venue.

The ones held, have been identified as Rahul (32), Teetunath (45), Jaikaran (50), Narayan (50) and Ravinath (45).

As per news agency PTI reports, they are all residents of Moharband village in southeast Delhi's Badarpur.

The police also seized a plastic bottle filled with 20mlof snake venom from the accused which has been sent for testing to find out if it is psychotropic in nature to generate a drug-like effect in the human body.

FIR registered against Yadav

The UP police said that the FIR has been registered against six people, including social media influencer Elvish Yadav, for making snake venom available at rave parties.

The officials further stated that the ones arrested used to charge a hefty amount for supplying venom at the parties.

"FIR registered at Noida Sector 49 Police Station against six people, including YouTuber and Bigg Boss winner Elvish Yadav, for making available snake venom at rave parties. They used to collect a hefty sum of money for supplying the venom at parties. Nine snakes were also rescued in a raid," the police said.

The FIR, which was lodged under the provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and for criminal conspiracy following a complaint by Gaurav Gupta of PFA, said that Yadav organised rave parties illegally and shot videos with live snakes.

"A YouTuber named Elvish Yadav provided snake venom and live snakes in Noida and created videos with other gang members/Youtubers in NCR farmhouse. They organised shoots and organised rave parties illegally. They regularly invited foreign girls and consumed snake venom and intoxicants. Rahul his accomplice acted as an agent on his behalf," the FIR said.

"One of our informants contacted Elvish Yadav and asked him to organise the rave party and get Cobra Venom. Elvish gave us the name of one Rahul whom we contacted. He said he could organise the venom wherever we want. He then came to Sector 51 Banquet Hall with the Venom. The Noida police then came to the venue along with the DFO and arrested the organisers," it added.

The FIR was filed under sections 9, 39,48A, 49, 50, 51 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 and section 120-B of the IPC.

DCP Noida Ram Badan Singh said, "In his complaint, Gaurav Gupta claimed he had contacted Elvish Yadav for a rave party and to arrange snakes. Gupta was then given the phone number of Rahul Yadav after which these people (accused), including snake charmers and Rahul Yadav, were called".

"A team of forest officers and police had gone to the spot and these five people were arrested while 20 ml snake venom was also seized,” Singh, also the DCP (anti-narcotics cell), added.

Divisional Forest Officer Pramod Kumar Srivastava said that all the snakes that were rescued during the raid, fall under the category of endangered species.

"The charges framed in the case under the Wildlife (Protection) Act are stringent which are non-bailable and can attract a jail term of seven years. The snake venom seized from the accused has been sent for a lab test to ascertain its quality," news agency PTI quoted Srivastava as saying.

Maneka Gandhi calls for strict action against Yadav

BJP MP and Chairperson of People for Animals, Maneka Gandhi called for stern action against Yadav and other accused in the case.

Expressing her concern, Gandhi said that very few cobras and pythons were left in the country and such acts, where snakes are made to release their venom, can cause their death as venom plays a vital role in the snake's digestion of food.

"It is a wildlife crime and the accused should get 7 years in jail. Cobras when they lose their venom, they die. Venom helps them in food digestion. Without venom, they will not be able to digest food. Very few Cobras and Pythons are left in the country. The government has placed them in Schedule 1. It is a big crime to catch them," she said.

She further revealed that a week ago, a raid was conducted in Mathura where eight people were found with eight snakes who later on stated that they were part of a cartel which supplies snake venom as a recreational drug at rave parties.

She then said that the members of this gang mentioned the name of Yadav.

"In this case, all these people should go to jail including the head of this gang, Elvish Yadav. He should also go to jail. Currently, he is absconding. Noida Police should also arrest him. This is an act of traitor. A law has been broken. Cobras and snakes die when we take out venom from their bodies," she said demanding strict action against the YouTuber.

What is a rave party?

A rave party is a vigorous, all-night EDM congregation with immersive music and lighting that has a communal vibe.

They are held in various locations with farmhouses being a popular choice.

In India, such gatherings have become a matter of concern involving legal issues as such gatherings have been defamed due to the use of drugs, noise pollution, safety and public order violations.

Such concerns have prompted governments to impose a ban on these parties.

Recreational use of snake venoman emerging trend in India

Substances like opium, tobacco, cannabis, MDMA and meth have been long used for recreational purposes for their mind-altering effects. However, various studies show that derivates from reptiles like snakes, and scorpions can also serve as a substitute for other substances.

Even though the use of snake venom as a recreational drug is not a common practice in India and is considered enormously hazardous and potentially life-threatening, it is pertinent to note that as per a 2021 report published in the Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, the lethal practice has become an emerging trend in the country.

The report highlighted that cases of recreational use of snake venom have, so far, only been documented in India, further adding that the ones who abuse snake venom also try a variety of psychotropic substances before turning to snake venom.

'Mind-altering' effects caused by snake venom

Snake venom has been reported to cause mood alteration, nociception, lethargy, and blurring of vision.

The IJPP report, citing a case study, elucidated the effects experienced by the ones who indulge in the abuse of the substance.

- The venom on entering human blood releases active metabolites such as serotonin, bradykinin, peptides, prostaglandins and other slow-reacting substances that have different psychotropic effects such as hypnotic and sedative.

- High levels of sensation seeking, low harm avoidance, impulsivity, multiple substance abuse and high levels of extraversion, openness, and neuroticism were all found among the ones who consumed snake venom.

(With inputs from agencies)