The Supreme Court on Thursday (March 19, 2026) quashed an FIR and subsequent proceedings against YouTuber Elvish Yadav under the Wildlife (Protection) Act in the snake venom case registered by Uttar Pradesh Police in 2023.
A Bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and N. Kotiswar Singh said the case cannot be sustained in law as the complaint under the Wildlife (Protection) Act was not filed by an authorised person.
It said that offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) invoked in the FIR against Mr. Yadav were based on an earlier FIR registered in Gurugram, in which a closure report has been filed.
Referring to the provisions of the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substance Act (NDPS) Act invoked in the FIR against Mr. Yadav, the Bench said these cannot be invoked as the liquid substance (anti-venom) recovered from the co-accused was not a prescribed substance under the schedule.
It referred to the earlier decisions of the court and said that the case against Yadav cannot be sustained in law, quashing the FIR and subsequent proceedings, including filing of the chargesheet and cognisance order of the trial court.
