Snake venom case: Court’s nod to adding 3 new sections to FIR

The Noida Police on Thursday moved the court to modify one section in the FIR registered in connection with the alleged supply of snake venom to Noida parties for recreational use, and also sought to add five more sections under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Senior case investigators said the court allowed only the modification of one section and the addition of three sections.
YouTuber Elivish Yadav and seven others have been arrested so far in the case, under relevant sections of the Wildlife (Protection) Act; sections of the Indian Penal Code, and relevant sections of the NDPS Act.
On Wednesday, Noida police moved the court to remove section 20 of NDPS (deals with punishment for contravention in relation to cannabis plant and cannabis) and instead sought to add section 22 ( deals with psychotropic substances) in its place.
Besides this, they also sought to add sections 27, 27A, 29, 30 and 32 of the Act, investigators said.
Police said Section 27 deals with consumption of drugs and 27A deals with financing illicit trafficking of drugs and harbouring offenders. Sections 29 relates to abetment and criminal conspiracy to commit an offence under the NDPS Act, and sections 30 and 32 deals with penalties for the offences.
Deepak Bhati from Yadav’s legal team, said, “After hearing arguments from both sides, an amendment in charges was done; instead of 8/20 of the NDPS Act, 8/22 was imposed. But the court did not accept Section 27 or 27A of the NDPS Act. This comes as a relief as these are stringent sections and punishment for these charges can extend from a minimum of 10 years in jail to a maximum 20 years.”
On Thursday, after several reports claimed that all charges under NDPS Act have been removed from the FIR, prompting Noida police had to issue a clarification.
“Charges under sections 8/22/29/30/32 of the NDPS Act have been amended and the remand was approved by the district court on Wednesday and further investigation in this case is underway. Misleading reports regarding removal of sections of the NDPS Act were being broadcast on Thursday, which are untrue,” said Vidyasagar Mishra, deputy commissioner of police, Noida.
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