Noida: YouTuber Elvish Yadav told the Noida police earlier this week that two snakes that featured in his music video had been arranged by singer Fazilpuria, NDTV reported, quoting sources.

Yadav was quizzed by the Noida police on November 8. When asked about the video with two snakes, the YouTuber told the police that the reptiles had been arranged by the Bollywood singer.

Earlier this month, the police arrested five people and recovered several snakes in their possession. The action was taken based on a sting operation carried out by the People For Animals NGO.

One of the accused told the police the snakes were for a party being hosted by Elvish Yadav. The police reportedly rescued nine snakes, including five cobras. They also found 20 ml of suspected snake venom.

The police have questioned the 26-year-old man twice so far.

On Wednesday, he was questioned in the Sector 20 police station. Yadav appeared before the police along with a battery of lawyers.

Six people, including Yadav, were booked under the Wildlife (Protection) Act and Section 120A (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. They have been accused of providing snake venom for recreational use for a party in Noida’s Sector 51.

The snakes included five cobras, one python, two sand snakes and one rat snake. All of these snakes are protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Eight out of nine snakes were defanged. The venom glands of the snakes were also missing.

Elvish Yadav has denied his involvement.

Earlier this year, Yadav won the Bigg Boss OTT show.

In the viral video, Elvish Yadav was seen roaming about with snakes on his shoulders.

The singer told Aaj Tak that he had no links with rave parties. He said that the exotic reptiles belonged to a production house. He had outsourced the arrangement of the reptiles to the production house solely for the music video.