Lucknow, Sep 27: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has provisionally seized properties worth Rs 52.49 lakh in connection with popular content creators under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a wildlife case.

The assets, including agricultural land in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor district and bank accounts, are linked to popular content creators Siddharth Yadav alias Elvish Yadav, Rahul Yadav alias Fazilpuria, and Sky Digital India Pvt. Ltd.

According to an ED statement, the properties were seized under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

"ED, Lucknow has provisionally attached properties comprising agricultural land at Bijnor (Uttar Pradesh) and bank deposits worth Rs 52.49 lakh belonging to Rahul Yadav alias Fazilpuria, Elvish Yadav and M/s Sky Digital India Pvt. Ltd. under the provisions of PMLA, 2002 in the "wildlife case," posted the ED on X.

Earlier in July this year, popular YouTuber and Bigg Boss OTT 2 winner Elvish Yadav had appeared before ED's Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow-based unit for questioning in connection with a money laundering case linked to a snake venom-rave party incident.

In May, the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) based on the FIR and charge sheet filed by the Noida police against Elvish Yadav and others involved in the snake venom case.

In November last year, the People for Animals (PFA) organisation filed an FIR against six people, including Elvish.

The FIR was registered against the six people in Noida Sector 49 police station for allegedly supplying snake venom suspected to be used as a recreational drug at a rave party in Noida.

The case was transferred from Noida's Sector 49 police station to Sector 20 police station on the orders of Gautam Buddha Nagar Police Commissioner Lakshmi Singh.

Elvish was arrested on March 17, by the police along with five others and all were charged under the Wildlife (Protection) Act and Section 120A (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

Elvish was granted bail by Gautam Buddha Nagar District Court five days after his arrest.

Later, police arrested two more suspects in the case who were identified as Ishwar and Vinay, both residents of Haryana and said to be known to Elvish.

On April 6, the Noida police filed a chargesheet against the YouTuber and seven others in connection with allegations ranging from snake smuggling to organising rave parties.

The 1200-page chargesheet stated that Elvish was in touch with snake charmers and that a poisonous snake and 20 millilitres of venom from the Krait species were also recovered from the location. (ANI)

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