New Delhi: Enforcement Directorate on Thursday took action against YouTuber Elvish Yadav and singer Rahul Yadav also known as Fazilpuria. The ED has seized properties of Elvish Yadav and Fazilpuria in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana along with some of their bank accounts.
According to sources, the attached properties are worth several crores. The ED had recently recorded Yadav and Fazilpuria's statements and had also interrogated them extensively.
Bigg Boss OTT winner Elvish Yadav was arrested by Noida Police in a case related to the illegal supplying snake venom. The ED had filed a money laundering case against him given the significant amount of money involved in the snake venom racket.
ED attached property worth ₹52,49,000
In new development around the case, the ED has attached properties worth ₹52,49,000 linked to YouTuber Elvish Yadav, Haryanvi singer Rahul Yadav alias Fazilpuria, and M/s Sky Digital India Pvt Ltd. Additionally, their associated bank accounts have been frozen.
The properties seized by the ED include agricultural land in the Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh and several bank accounts. This action has been taken under the Money Laundering Act.
According to the ED, the investigation was initiated based on two FIRs filed with the Noida police and at the Badshahpur police station in Haryana. These FIRs involve different charges against Elvish Yadav, Rahul Yadav alias Fazilpuria, and others.
The first FIR alleges that the Noida police caught agents involved in bringing snakes and snake venom during a sting operation. The second FIR claims that Rahul alias Fazilpuria and Elvish Yadav improperly used snakes to create videos and vlogs.
The ED's investigation revealed that Rahul Yadav alias Fazilpuria and Elvish Yadav used illegally obtained restricted species of snakes and venomous animals to produce commercial music videos and vlogs. Their intent was to increase their followers and generate revenue. The investigation also indicated that these music videos were handed over to M/s Sky Digital India Pvt Ltd, and money was earned by uploading the videos on the YouTube platform. According to the ED, several movable and immovable assets have been attached after identifying the income generated from this crime.
Sagar Thakur alias Maxtern
An FIR was also registered him for thrashing another YouTuber Sagar Thakur alias Maxtern.
How it all began
In July this year, Elvish Yadav was summoned by the ED in UP's Lucknow headquarters for questioning. He was reportedly grilled for seven hours for the PMLA case related to the snake venom/rave party case filed against him. He was questioned for his alleged links with people who made the snakes and snake venom available, and the financial transactions linked with them.
In November 2023, the famous YouTuber along with five others were booked under the the Wildlife (Protection) Act and Section 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Sector 49 police station for allegedly supplying snake venom to party revellers, allegedly for recreational use.
Thereafter, Elvish Yadav was arrested on March 17 by the Noida Police in connection with the case. He was later sent to a 14-day judicial custody. In April, 1200-page chargesheet was filed, oulining the charges of snake smuggling and drug possession.
The matter was brought to light after a People For Animals NGO welfare officer filed a complaint regarding this. He had accused Elvish of using multiple live snakes in a video shoot last year at Earth Iconic mall in Gurgaon sector 71.
Singer Rahul Fazilpuria was also questioned in the same snake case by the ED. He was also found to have used snakes in one of his songs. They were booked under sections of Cruelty to Wildlife Act and IPC Section 294 (obscenity in public place).
The prosecution told the court that 20 ml snake venom and nine live snakes including five cobras, one python, one rat snake, were recovered by the police and argued that they were enough to prove Elvish's involvement in this case. He has always denied the charges against him.