The Lahore High Court has granted bail to popular YouTuber Saad ur Rehman, widely known as Ducky Bhai, in the case linked to the alleged promotion of online gambling applications. His bail was approved against surety bonds worth Rs1 million, bringing temporary relief after weeks of detention.
Justice Shahram Sarwar Chaudhry heard the case. Ducky Bhai had been in custody since August 17, when he was arrested at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport. The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) detained him as he was trying to leave Pakistan, after his name appeared on a watchlist.
The allegations against him are serious. According to the FIR, he promoted online gambling apps through his YouTube channel. These apps reportedly encouraged people to invest money, which led to many financial losses. The FIR also mentioned several betting platforms, including Binomo, 1xBet, Bet365, and B9 Game. A total of 27 video links from his account were listed, though many of them are no longer available online.
The NCCIA further claimed that Ducky Bhai was involved in money laundering through these applications. He had earlier applied for bail in the district court and before a judicial magistrate, but both applications were rejected. This led him to approach the High Court, where he finally received bail.
Ducky Bhai argued that he was never issued a notice before his arrest, which raised questions about the procedure followed by the agency. Interestingly, another twist in the case emerged at the end of October, when nine NCCIA officers were booked for allegedly misusing their authority, taking bribes, and extorting money from the YouTuber.
For now, with bail granted, the case continues as the court awaits further arguments and evidence.