Ducky Bhai granted bail in gambling apps case

WEB DESK: Popular YouTuber Saad-ur-Rehman, widely known as Ducky Bhai, was granted bail on Monday by the Lahore High Court in a case concerning the promotion of online gambling applications.

Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhary approved bail on a surety of Rs1 million. Rehman has been in custody since his arrest at Lahore airport on August 17 by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Lahore.

The case stems from allegations that several social media influencers, including Rehman, were promoting gambling apps to the public for personal financial gain. According to the FIR, Rehman allegedly advertised apps such as Binomo, 1xBet, Bet 365, and B9 Game through his YouTube channel, leading some users to incur financial losses. The complaint included 27 video links, though several are no longer accessible.

The FIR was filed under sections 13 (Electronic Forgery), 14 (Electronic Fraud), 25 (Spamming), and 26 (Spoofing) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, alongside sections 294B (Offering prize in connection with trade) and 420 (Cheating) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Rehman’s previous bail applications in district and sessions courts, and before a judicial magistrate, had been rejected, prompting him to approach the high court. He maintained that he had not received any notice from the NCCIA prior to his arrest.

In a related development, nine NCCIA officers were booked at the end of October for allegedly abusing their authority, including extortion and bribery in connection with Rehman’s detention.

The high court’s decision now allows Rehman to await further proceedings outside custody, though the investigation into the alleged promotion of gambling apps continues.