LAHORE (Dunya News) - The Lahore Sessions Court has confirmed the interim bail of famous YouTuber Rajab Butt in the case of illegal promotion of an online gambling app, while it has issued an order to extend the interim bail of Nadeem Naniwala.
According to details, the court confirmed Rajab Butt’s interim bail after hearing arguments during the proceedings. The case involves allegations of illegal promotion and advertising of a gambling application.
During the hearing, the court also reviewed the interim bail applications of co-accused Nadeem Nani Wala and others. While Rajab Butt was granted confirmation of his bail, the court extended the interim bail of Nadeem Nani Wala until June 2.
The court directed the lawyers of Nadeem Nani Wala to complete their arguments at the next hearing.
Further proceedings in the case will continue in the coming weeks.
Cases against social media influencers
According to official records, the two are nominated in several FIRs registered under various cybercrime provisions, including allegations related to operating or promoting gambling applications, misuse of digital platforms and online harassment. The FIA had earlier issued multiple notices, but their stay abroad meant no substantial progress could be made in the investigations.
In September this year, Butt was booked by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) for allegedly promoting online gambling apps on social media.
Nadeem was also booked by the NCCIA for allegedly promoting gambling apps on his social media, but he was also arrested in September for displaying a fake registration number – ‘IK-804’ – on his car.
On being quizzed, he couldn’t satisfy the police with regard to displaying the fake registration number, IK-804, which is said to be the prisoner number allotted to incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan.
Meanwhile, in March, Butt was also booked under blasphemy and cybercrime laws due to a “religious stir” caused by the launch of his perfume brand that allegedly mocked Pakistan’s blasphemy law. Butt launched his “295” perfume, which refers to the namesake blasphemy law in the Pakistan Penal Code.
Last December, the YouTuber found himself in legal trouble when he was arrested for illegally keeping a lion cub and weapons at his residence. He pleaded guilty in January this year to owning an undocumented wild animal after accepting the cub as a wedding gift.
He avoided jail by promising a judge to post animal rights videos for a year.