LAHORE: YouTuber Saadur Rehman, known as Ducky Bhai, has been formally charged in connection with the alleged promotion of gambling apps on social media. Along with his wife, Aroob Jatoi, and others, Rehman was indicted by a judicial magistrate on Monday. All accused individuals pleaded not guilty to the charges and have decided to contest the case in court.
Magistrate Naeem Wattoo ordered that the prosecution present its witnesses during the next hearing, scheduled for February 23. The case stems from an investigation by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), which has been targeting several social media influencers, including YouTubers and TikTokers, accused of promoting gambling applications to the public.
Rehman was arrested by the NCCIA in August of last year. He was granted bail by the Lahore High Court (LHC) on November 24. The inquiry, which began on June 13, 2025, was initiated after information surfaced suggesting that some influencers were using their social media platforms to promote gambling apps for personal financial gain.
The charges against Rehman are based on sections of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, including electronic forgery, fraud, spamming, and spoofing, along with sections of the Pakistan Penal Code related to offering prizes and cheating.
In December, Rehman uploaded a nearly hour-long video to his YouTube channel, where he accused the NCCIA of physically and verbally abusing him during his detention. This incident followed an October case in which six NCCIA officials were placed on a three-day physical remand for alleged misconduct, including extortion and bribery, following a complaint filed by Aroob Jatoi.
Furthermore, in September, NCCIA Lahore Additional Director Sarfraz Chaudhry was removed from his position amidst various controversies, including claims of abusing Rehman during his time in custody.
