LAHORE: A district and sessions court in Lahore on Thursday rejected the bail application of popular Pakistani YouTuber Saad-ur-Rehman, known online as “Ducky Bhai,” in the ongoing gambling app scandal after hearing arguments from both sides.
During the proceedings, the prosecution argued that Ducky Bhai is a nominated suspect and that solid evidence exists against him.
They said the case was initiated based on a credible source report, which highlighted his alleged role in promoting illegal gambling and forex applications through his YouTube channel.
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) clarified to the court that it had never registered any gambling or forex app, yet the accused allegedly endorsed unlicensed platforms such as Binomo, Bet365, and 39 Game, encouraging viewers to invest in them.
According to investigators, over Rs160 million was discovered in one of Ducky Bhai’s bank accounts and Rs50 million in another, amounts he has so far failed to justify.
The prosecutor warned that such funds “could potentially have been used for terrorism financing or other unlawful activities.”
A representative of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) confirmed that the Binomo app has already been blocked in Pakistan, though several similar apps remain accessible.
The prosecutor further stated that Ducky Bhai’s seized mobile phones remain locked due to face recognition security, hampering the investigation. The court, while questioning the progress of the 22-day remand, inquired why the phones had not yet been unlocked.
Saad-ur-Rehman alias Dukky Bhai, who rose to fame through comedy skits and family vlogs, is now confronting serious allegations of acting as Binomo’s country manager in Pakistan without authorisation, using his influence to lure citizens into fraudulent schemes that caused widespread financial losses.
The NCCIA has so far declared 46 such apps illegal in Pakistan due to their unregulated gambling and forex trading activities.
