LAHORE: A district court in Lahore on Monday indicted YouTuber Saadur Rehman, popularly known as “Ducky Bhai”, his wife and others in a case pertaining to the alleged promotion of online gambling and betting applications.
The proceedings were conducted by Judicial Magistrate Naeem Wattoo, during which the YouTuber and other accused denied the allegations. The court has summoned witnesses on February 23.
Rehman, his wife and others are facing a case registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), which has accused the YouTuber of promoting various online gambling and betting platforms, including Binomo and 1xBet, through his YouTube channel, according to the FIR.
Ducky Bhai, one of Pakistan’s most-followed digital content creators with more than 10 million subscribers and over 800 uploaded videos, was arrested on August 17, 2025, after the case was lodged by the state through the NCCIA.
The FIR includes charges under sections 13, 14, 25, and 26 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, as well as sections 294-B and 420 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
He remained in NCCIA custody for nearly three months before securing bail from the Lahore High Court and was released on November 26.
Following his release, Rehman made serious allegations of torture and humiliation during custody.
In a video statement issued in December 2025, he claimed he was slapped, abused and mistreated during interrogation by a senior officer. He also levelled accusations against former NCCIA Lahore additional director Sarfraz Chaudhry, alleging repeated physical abuse and humiliation during the investigation.
Chaudhry was reportedly dismissed from service in September 2025 over various controversies, including the alleged assault on Rehman. In October, the FIA arrested him along with six NCCIA officers on charges of misuse of authority and taking bribes.
Meanwhile, six NCCIA officials, including Chaudhry, Zafar, Shoaib Riaz, Ali Raza, Mujtaba Zafar, and Yasir, are facing bribery allegations and are under investigation by the Federal Investigation Agency in a separate case.
The trial against Rehman and other accused will continue with witness hearings scheduled later this month.