A Lahore sessions court has rejected the bail request of popular YouTuber Saad-ur-Rehman, better known as Ducky Bhai, in a case involving the promotion of illegal gambling and forex applications.

The ruling was announced by Additional District and Sessions Judge, Dr Sajida Chaudhry after hearing arguments from both sides. The decision means that the YouTuber will remain in custody while the investigation continues.

According to reports from The Nation Pakistan, the court was presented with financial evidence linking Rehman to the promotion of several unlicensed online platforms that encouraged users to gamble or trade illegally.

Prosecutors Cite Evidence of Financial Links

During the hearing, prosecutors claimed they had strong proof that Rehman promoted gambling and forex applications that were not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).

They told the court that two large transactions: RS160 million (US$575,000) and RS50 million, were traced to bank accounts connected to the YouTuber. The prosecution argued that Rehman could not provide a valid explanation for these funds.

The investigators also said that Rehman’s online videos and promotional content encouraged people to use these unlicensed apps, which violated Pakistan’s electronic crime and gambling laws. They added that his influence as a social media personality increased the reach and potential harm of the illegal promotions.

Defence Claims Lack of Evidence

Rehman’s legal team argued that the prosecution had failed to provide concrete evidence to justify the charges. His lawyer said that no witnesses were presented, no gambling apps were found in his possession, and no official notice was served before the investigation began.

The defence said the investigation had inconsistencies and that Section 37 of the Cybercrime Act was wrongly used. They argued that if the apps were illegal, the PTA should have blocked them instead of blaming Rehman.

However, the court was not convinced by these arguments. Despite the defence’s objections, the judge ruled that the evidence presented by prosecutors was sufficient to deny bail at this stage of the investigation.

It is worth noting that a previous bail application filed by Rehman had already been rejected on 23 September by a Judicial Magistrate in the same case.

Investigation Still in Progress

The National Cyber Investigation Agency (NCIA) has charged Saad-ur-Rehman under several sections of the Electronic Crimes Act for forgery, fraud, spamming, and spoofing. He also faces more charges under the Pakistan Penal Code.

Authorities are still investigating others who might be involved in the gambling promotions. The case has gained attention because Rehman is one of Pakistan’s most popular YouTubers..

For now, Ducky Bhai remains in custody as the court continues to review evidence and testimonies. The next hearing will decide if Rehman will face formal charges or if additional investigations are required.