Pakistan court extends remand of YouTuber Ducky Bhai in online betting case

A court in Pakistan extended on Thursday the physical remand of YouTuber Saad ur Rehman, popularly known as Ducky Bhai, by four days following the expiry of his earlier 11-day remand.

Rehman, one of Pakistan’s most prominent digital content creators with more than eight million subscribers, was arrested on Aug. 17 at Lahore’s international airport. Authorities said he was attempting to leave the country despite being on a government “Prohibited/National Interest List,” which bars certain individuals from foreign travel.

The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) said Rehman is accused of promoting illegal online betting platforms, including 1XBet and Binimi, through his YouTube channel and social media accounts. Pakistani law prohibits advertising and facilitating such platforms under cybercrime and criminal codes.

The case has been registered as FIR No. 196/25 under the Electronic Crimes Act, originally enacted in 2016 and amended earlier this year, and sections of the Pakistan Penal Code related to obscenity and fraud. A mobile phone was seized during his arrest.

NCCIA officers Shoaib Riaz, Yasir Ramzan and Tahir led the raid after receiving a complaint filed by the state. At the time of his arrest, a local court had initially granted investigators a two-day physical remand, which has since been extended multiple times.

Rehman, known for his family vlogs, gaming content and frequent online controversies, has a strong following among young audiences. His detention has sparked widespread debate across Pakistan’s digital community.

This is not his first brush with controversy. In 2023, Rehman and his wife, Aroob, were briefly detained after a firearm appeared in one of her Instagram posts, which police said violated public safety laws. They were released without charges after submitting written apologies.

The couple has also faced online harassment, including a deepfake video scandal targeting Aroob. At the time, they announced a reward of 1 million Pakistani rupees (about $3,600) for information about the perpetrator.