Elvish Yadav, the winner of Bigg Boss OTT 2, has responded to allegations of an NGO scam after he appealed to his fans for donations for a child suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). The controversy arose after comedian Munawar Faruqui indirectly criticized Yadav, suggesting that some NGOs exploit emotional appeals to collect funds.
Yadav addressed the allegations in a video, stating that he does not personally accept money for such causes. He clarified that a friend approached him for help, and he wouldn't ask for money from a friend in need. He further explained that the NGO's barcode was publicly available for anyone to donate.
The controversy began when Yadav shared a video on December 19, 2025, featuring a family seeking financial assistance for their child's SMA treatment, which requires a 9 crore INR injection from the USA. Yadav urged his followers to contribute to the cause.
Shortly after, Faruqui posted videos on his Instagram Stories, alleging that certain NGOs pay celebrities and influencers to create emotionally charged content to solicit donations. He questioned the ethics of such practices, implying that there might be hidden business motives behind these crowdfunding efforts. "’Humare charges bohot high hai, and they were ready to pay. Pehle toh hum iss tarah ka promotion kare hi naa. I was shocked. Ki yaar, yeh konsa dhanda chal raha hai? Ho sakta hai genuine ho ya na ho, but ilaaj ke baad ka paisa kahan jayega? Agar itna crowd fund jama karne wale ho, uske alawa kuch toh business motive hoga na. Sick hai bhai! Sab pagal ho chuke hai," Faruqui stated.
Yadav refuted these claims, asserting that the situation was not a scam and that the family had provided medical documents. He declared that he would make all transactions transparent and would reveal the AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) check to the public. "Main kisiki help ke paise nahi leta," Yadav firmly stated in the video, emphasizing his commitment to transparency. He also addressed potential accusations of fleeing the country, stating he would showcase everything and is not one to run away.
This isn't the first time Elvish Yadav has been embroiled in controversy. In October 2024, he was summoned by Delhi Police in connection with a 500 crore INR investment fraud involving the HIBOX mobile application. He was among several social media influencers accused of promoting the app, which promised high returns but later withheld payments. Police arrested the alleged mastermind of the scam and seized 18 crore INR. Yadav has also faced legal issues related to the use of snake venom at parties.
The online community has reacted strongly to the recent allegations, with some users criticizing Yadav and others defending him. Some have accused Yadav of being motivated by money, while others have expressed support for Faruqui's stance on potential NGO scams.
