A judicial magistrate in Lahore on Monday indicted YouTuber Saadur Rehman, popularly known as Ducky Bhai, along with his wife Aroob Jatoi and several other accused, in a case related to the alleged promotion of gambling applications on social media platforms.
The indictment was handed down by Magistrate Naeem Wattoo, before whom all the accused appeared. Court officials said the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges and opted to contest the case. The magistrate directed the prosecution to begin presenting its witnesses at the next hearing, scheduled for February 23.
The proceedings stem from cases registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, which launched an inquiry into several YouTubers and TikTok creators accused of promoting gambling and betting applications through their online accounts. According to investigators, the inquiry was initiated on June 13, 2025, following information received from what officials described as reliable sources.
The agency alleged that a number of social media influencers had been advertising gambling-related applications to the general public in exchange for financial benefits. On the basis of the inquiry, criminal cases were registered under multiple provisions of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016, including sections related to electronic forgery, electronic fraud, spamming and spoofing. The charges were also read with sections of the Pakistan Penal Code dealing with offering prizes in connection with trade and cheating involving dishonest inducement of property.
Rehman was arrested by the NCCIA in August last year as part of the investigation. He remained in custody for several weeks before the Lahore High Court granted him bail on November 24, allowing his release pending trial.
The case has drawn additional attention due to developments following Rehman’s arrest. In December, he uploaded a video of nearly an hour’s duration to his YouTube channel, in which he alleged that he had been subjected to physical and verbal abuse while in NCCIA custody. The allegations were circulated widely on social media and prompted further scrutiny of the agency’s conduct.
Subsequently, in October, six officials of the NCCIA were placed on a three-day physical remand after a criminal case was registered against them on the complaint of Jatoi. The complaint accused the officials of misusing their authority, extorting money and accepting bribes during the course of the investigation.
Separately, in September, Sarfraz Chaudhry, who was serving as additional director of the NCCIA in Lahore, was removed from his post. Media reports at the time linked his removal to multiple controversies, including allegations that he had assaulted Rehman while the YouTuber was in custody.
Court officials said the trial against Rehman, his wife and the other accused would proceed in accordance with the evidence presented by the prosecution. The magistrate has fixed the next hearing later this month, when witnesses are expected to be called as the case moves forward.