In a significant development at the Lahore High Court, Justice Farooq Haider voluntarily withdrew from presiding over the bail petition of prominent YouTuber Saadur Rehman, widely recognized as Ducky Bhai, on Tuesday.
Judge Recusal and Case Transfer
Justice Farooq Haider cited personal reasons for his recusal from the high-profile case involving the social media influencer's post-arrest bail application. The judge immediately directed court officials to transfer the complete case file to the LHC Chief Justice, who will now constitute a fresh bench to hear the matter.
This procedural shift comes at a crucial juncture in the legal proceedings, as the court had previously issued formal notices to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), demanding their official response to the allegations and the bail petition.
Ducky Bhai's Legal Defense and Charges
In his bail petition, Saadur Rehman maintained his complete innocence, asserting that all allegations against him lack substance and credible evidence. The YouTuber passionately appealed to the court for post-arrest bail, arguing that the case against him doesn't justify continued detention.
However, the NCCIA Lahore has registered a comprehensive case against the internet personality under multiple legal provisions. The charges include Sections 13 (Electronic Forgery), 14 (Electronic Fraud), 25 (Spamming), and 26 (Spoofing) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016. Additionally, authorities have invoked Sections 294-B (Offering prizes for commercial purposes) and 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Allegations of Betting App Promotion
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the investigation revolves around allegations that Ducky Bhai promoted various online gambling and betting platforms through his YouTube channel. The mentioned applications include 1xBet, Bet365, B9 Game, and Binomo.
The FIR further alleges that the YouTuber went beyond mere promotion, purportedly serving as a "country manager" for one of these betting platforms. The case document claims that numerous citizens invested their hard-earned money in these promoted applications, subsequently suffering substantial financial losses.
The case continues to draw significant public attention as it represents one of the prominent legal actions against a social media influencer under Pakistan's cybercrime laws, setting potential precedents for similar cases in the future.
