LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday granted bail to YouTuber Saad-ur-Rahman, widely known as Ducky Bhai, in a case linked to the promotion of online gambling applications. The court ordered him to furnish surety bonds worth Rs 1 million.
Justice Shahram Sarwar Chaudhry delivered the verdict, with lawyers Imran Chadhar and Shaharyar Goraiah representing Saad-ur-Rahman. The YouTuber had been arrested by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on August 17 at Lahore Airport over allegations of promoting gambling apps.
Investigations initiated in June revealed multiple social media influencers were allegedly endorsing gambling platforms for financial gain.
Ducky Bhai was accused of promoting several apps on his YouTube channel and acting as a “Country Manager” for one platform. Evidence cited in the FIR included 27 video links from his account, though many have since been removed.
Earlier bail petitions in lower courts had been rejected, prompting Saad-ur-Rahman to approach the High Court. During the proceedings, Justice Sarwar Chaudhry noted that the Supreme Court considers denial of bail in such cases as “unusual.” The court had also sought arguments from the NCCIA before issuing its order.
The arrest occurred when immigration authorities flagged his name during departure checks. Reports indicate Ducky Bhai was attempting to leave the country despite being listed on the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL). Allegations of bribery involving nine NCCIA officials also surfaced during the investigation.
With the High Court’s decision, Ducky Bhai is now free on bail as the legal process continues, though the NCCIA’s probe into the promotion of gambling apps remains ongoing.
