Pakistani YouTuber Saad-ur-Rehman, better known as Ducky Bhai, was detained early Sunday at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport. The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) is charging him with promoting unlawful online betting and gaming applications through his massive social media reach.
He was later brought before a magistrate, who authorized a two-day remand in order to give the NCCIA time to assemble an inquiry report, now due for submission to the court on Tuesday, August 19.
Case Background
An FIR was officially lodged a few hours after midnight on August 17 at the NCCIA Lahore, listing multiple counts against Rehman under both the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act of 2016 and the Pakistan Penal Code.
- PECA: Sections 13 (Electronic Forgery), 14 (Electronic Fraud), 25 (Spamming), 26 (Spoofing)
- PPC: Sections 294-B (Offering prizes in trade), 420 (Cheating and fraud)
The inquiry began in earnest on June 13, after authorities received intelligence that influencers were monetising the distribution of unregistered gambling applications.
Allegations
The FIR asserts Ducky Bhai promoted sites like Binomo, 1xBet, Bet365, and B9 Game through his YouTube channel, warning viewers of what it terms “e-gambling bait.” Cops listed 27 specific video links as supporting evidence, but several of the clips have since vanished, leaving the remainder to fuel questions of reliability and intent.