LAHORE: A judicial magistrate at district courts on Thursday sent five out of six officials of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), including additional director Sarfraz Chaudhry, to jail on judicial remand in a case of alleged misuse of authority and extorting money from an arrested YouTuber.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) produced the officials before the court on expiry of their physical remand. Other arrested officials include deputy director (acting in-charge) Muhammad Zawar Ahmad, assistant directors Shoaib Riaz and Mujtaba Zafar and sub-inspectors Ali Raza and Yasir Ramzan.

The investigating officer requested the magistrate to grant further physical remand of the suspects for five more days as more time needed to complete the investigation.

Magistrate Naeem Wattoo noted that the prosecution was warned at the last hearing that further remand would not be allowed without any solid reason.

He observed that the investigation would not be completed even in 14 months at the current pace of the agency’s working.

However, a prosecutor insisted that even 14 months were not sufficient for the investigation given the scale of the corruption in the case.

The magistrate allowed the request of the IO to the extent of assistant director Shoaib Riaz and extended his physical remand for two more days.

The magistrate sent the remaining officials to jail on judicial remand.

During the hearing, Aroob Jatoi, the wife of arrested YouTuber Saadur Rehman alias Ducky Bhai, was also present in the court.

Separately, Ms Jatoi withdrew her pre-arrest bail from a sessions court in the case of promoting gambling apps on social media.

The woman appeared before the court along with her lawyer and sought permission from the court to withdraw her bail plea.

The court allowed the request and disposed of the petition as being withdrawn.

The NCCIA had registered a case against Rehman, his wife and other YouTubers.

The agency said that the suspects were allegedly members of an international gambling racket and had been promoting gambling applications on social media for huge money.

YouTuber Rehman is still in jail on judicial remand as his post-arrest bail petition is pending before the Lahore High Court.

Published in Dawn, November 7th, 2025