Court Bars Ducky Bhai From Uploading Content on Seized YouTube Channel

LAHORE: A hearing was held before Judicial Magistrate Naeem Wattoo in the case related to the alleged promotion of online gambling against YouTuber Saad-ur-Rahman, popularly known as Ducky Bhai, his wife Aroob Jatoi, and other accused.

During the proceedings, the court set January 16 as the date for framing charges against all the accused. Copies of the challan submitted by the National Coordination Centre for Internet and Cybercrime Affairs (NCCIA) were also provided to the defendants.

The magistrate remarked that vlogging on a YouTube channel without court permission is illegal, addressing Ducky Bhai directly and stating that he should have filed a formal application seeking permission to vlog. In response, Ducky Bhai said he believed permission had already been granted through an affidavit submitted in a previous hearing. The court rejected this argument, stating that permission cannot be self-granted and only the court has the authority to allow such activity.

The court further questioned whether Ducky Bhai intended to continue vlogging. His lawyer responded that they were unclear about the nature of the permission required and added that no vlogging was currently taking place on the channel. The magistrate clarified that the YouTube channel in question is the subject of the case and has been seized by the NCCIA, adding that while vlogging itself is not prohibited, uploading content on the seized channel is illegal.

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The NCCIA has already submitted the challan against the accused, alleging promotion of online gambling through social media platforms. According to the prosecution, Ducky Bhai and his associates used their YouTube channel and online influence to promote betting applications, which is a violation of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016.

Investigations revealed that the content uploaded on the channel indirectly encouraged viewers to engage in gambling activities. Authorities claim the accused collaborated to market gambling platforms and used promotional content to attract a large audience, prompting the initiation of criminal proceedings. As part of the investigation, the YouTube channel was frozen to prevent further uploads.

Aroob Jatoi has been named as an accused due to her alleged role in managing channel operations and facilitating the promotion of gambling-related content. While her direct involvement is still under investigation, NCCIA included her in the case citing shared responsibility in the channel’s operations.

The court reiterated that uploading content on a seized channel without explicit court permission constitutes a legal violation and emphasized strict adherence to procedural requirements.