A Lahore district and sessions court on Thursday rejected the bail plea of popular Pakistani YouTuber Saad-ur-Rehman, better known as “Ducky Bhai,” in the ongoing gambling app case, after hearing arguments from both sides.

During the hearing, the prosecution and special prosecutor argued that Ducky Bhai is a nominated suspect in the case and that strong evidence exists against him.

The prosecutor said the inquiry was initiated on the basis of a credible source report, which revealed his alleged involvement.

The court was told that the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has never registered any gambling or forex app, yet Ducky Bhai allegedly promoted such unlicensed platforms through his YouTube videos, encouraging the public to invest in them.

According to the prosecution, investigators found Rs160 million in one of his accounts and Rs50 million in another, but he failed to explain the source of these funds. The prosecutor warned that the money “could have been used for terrorism or other illegal financing.”

When the court inquired about the status of the “Binomo” app, a representative of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) confirmed that access to the app has been blocked in Pakistan, though several other apps remain operational.

The prosecutor further told the court that Ducky Bhai’s mobile phones are in custody, but investigators have been unable to access them due to face-lock security. The court questioned, “If the face lock could not be bypassed, then what progress was made during the 22-day remand?”

Saad-ur-Rehman, widely known for his comedy skits and family vlogs that have earned him millions of followers, is now facing serious allegations of promoting illegal gambling applications such as “Binomo,” “Bet 365,” and “39 Game.”

The FIR alleges that he used his YouTube channel to lure citizens into investing in these apps, resulting in significant financial losses for many. It further claims he acted as the Pakistan country manager for Binomo without any government authorisation.

The NCCIA has declared 46 apps, including Binomo, as illegal in Pakistan, citing unregulated gambling and forex trading activities.