National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) arrested YouTuber Saad ur Rehman – better known as Ducky Bhai – on 17 , August , 2025 at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport. The agency accused him of promoting illegal online gambling and betting applications through his YouTube channel and social‑media presence.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the charges include violations of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (PECA) – including electronic fraud, spamming, and spoofing – plus charges under the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) for offering illegal prizes and cheating.
NCCIA’s complaint mentions that there were dozens of videos on his channel – 27 video links are cited in the FIR – promoting gambling apps.
During the investigation, investigators alleged that Ducky Bhai acted as a “country manager” or agent for some of these apps and received substantial payments. According to NCCIA claims, he earned up to US $20,000 (around Rs 5.5 million) for each promotional campaign.
After his arrest, a court initially granted a short physical remand to NCCIA. The remand was extended multiple times to allow further investigation. On 9, September, 2025, a judicial magistrate refused to extend the physical remand and instead placed him on a 14‑day judicial remand.
In late November 2025, the Lahore High Court granted him post‑arrest bail, under the condition of furnishing surety bonds worth Rs 1 million. His release was subject to bail verification.
Meanwhile, the case took a controversial turn: relatives of Ducky Bhai (notably his wife) filed a complaint against several NCCIA officers. They accused them of extortion, abuse of authority, and demanding bribes in exchange for favorable treatment during the investigation. As a result, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) launched a counter‑inquiry: six NCCIA officials were remanded in FIA custody over alleged bribery and misuse of authority.
In a video published on 7, December, 2025 – about 100 days after his arrest – Ducky Bhai addressed the public and made serious allegations: he claimed he faced physical and verbal abuse during his custody under NCCIA. He said officers verbally insulted and physically assaulted him, demanded bribes (he mentioned sums like Rs 70–80 million), and even threatened to seize funds from his accounts.
In that same video, he issued a public apology – saying if any of his past content or promotions “knowingly or unknowingly” caused harm, he regrets it. He framed his YouTube career as intended for entertainment, not malicious activity, and promised to cooperate fully with the courts.
This is a developing story.
Sources: DAWN News, Express Tribune, and Geo News.
