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New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) In a dramatic turn of events, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet involving popular YouTuber Siddharth Yadav – better known as Elvish Yadav – and singer Rahul Yadav alias Fazilpuriya in a money laundering case related to illegal use of protected wildlife in online content.
The chargesheet submitted in a special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court in Gurugram on October 13 names four accused: Elvish Yadav (28), Fazilpuriya (35), Sky Digital India Pvt Ltd. Ltd., and its director Gurkaran Singh Dhaliwal. The court has not yet taken formal cognizance of the complaint.
According to the ED, Elvish Yadav allegedly earned Rs 84,000 from a 2023 YouTube video that showed live snakes and an iguana – a protected species under Indian wildlife laws. The video, titled “Fazilpuriya bhai ke shoot pe Russian se mulak ho gayi @Fazilpuriya”, was uploaded on March 23, 2023 and is said to have violated provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act.
Meanwhile, Fazilpuria is accused of making a music video titled “32 BORE”, which also featured protected reptiles. ED claims that he made illegal earnings of over ₹50 lakh from the video. Sky Digital India, which managed and monetized Fazilpuria’s content, is accused of playing a key role in distributing the videos for revenue generation.
As part of the investigation, the ED has provisionally attached Fazilpuria’s property worth Rs 50 lakh and a fixed deposit of Rs 84,000 belonging to Yadav in Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor.
The agency alleges that the two men used exotic animals, including snakes and iguanas, in their content to increase online popularity and revenue, which is a clear violation of wildlife conservation norms. The video was monetized through Sky Digital India and published on YouTube. Both Yadav and Fazilpuria were questioned at the ED’s Lucknow office.
The case stems from FIRs lodged by the police in Noida and Gurugram, with Yadav first arrested by the Noida police.
The ED charges are based on violations under PMLA, NDPS Act, Wildlife Protection Act and IPC. Yadav, who shot to fame after winning Bigg Boss OTT 2, is now facing serious legal consequences that could eclipse his digital stardom.
–IANS
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