YouTuber Ducky Bhai will stay in NCCIA custody till Sept 5 in promotion of gambling apps case
His remand has been extended for another two days.
YouTuber Saadur Rehman, popularly known as Ducky Bhai, has filed a bail application after being sent to jail on judicial remand in the promotion of illegal online gambling applications case against him. Lahore’s district court rejected on Monday the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency’s (NCCIA) request for an additional eight-day physical remand of the content creator.
Judicial Magistrate Naeem Wattoo presided over the hearing. Investigating officer Shoaib Riaz had sought an extension in the YouTuber’s physical remand, but the court dismissed the plea. Ducky Bhai’s counsel also opposed the extension.
The case against him was registered by the state on August 17 through the NCCIA Lahore under sections 13 (Electronic Forgery), 14 (Electronic Fraud), 25 (Spamming) and 26 (Spoofing) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 as well as sections 294 B (Offering prize in connection with trade) and 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducting delivery of property) of the Pakistan Penal Code. It related to an inquiry dated June 13 and was registered on the “receipt of information from reliable source(s)” that some YouTubers and social media influencers were promoting gambling and betting applications to the general public via their social media accounts for their own monetary benefits.
The NCCIA had the YouTuber in their custody for 22 days. His last remand was granted on September 3 and ended on September 5.
Rehman’s legal counsel, Advocate Chaudhry Usman Ali, had argued against the extensions given for a physical remand, claiming that financial records could be obtained without keeping the accused in custody. He had also questioned the evidence linking Rehman’s actions to actual financial losses suffered by users.
Following his judicial remand, Rehman’s counsel also filed a post-arrest bail petition under Section 497 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The plea argues that the FIR against him is “false and frivolous” and has been lodged with “ulterior motives” to humiliate him.
The application argues that none of the applications mentioned in the FIR had been officially declared illegal by the government at the time of their promotion, and that investigators have produced no evidence of forgery, cheating, spamming or spoofing.
It further notes that the sections of the law invoked in the FIR, including 294-B and 420 of the Pakistan Penal Code, are bailable in nature, and that there is no record of any financial victim coming forward against Rehman.
The plea also states that he has no prior convictions, poses no flight risk, and is willing to submit surety bonds. The bail application is now pending before the court.
The court has issued a notice to the NCCIA for September 12 on the bail petition.
The NCCIA has also issued formal notices to several other prominent influencers. YouTuber Rajab Butt, along with TikTok star Iqra Kanwal and content creator Muhammad Anas Ali, were directed to appear before investigators today (Tuesday).