LAHORE: A district and sessions court in Lahore on Monday granted interim pre-arrest bail to YouTuber Rajab Butt and TikToker Nadeem Mubarak in a case related to the alleged promotion of online gambling applications.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Mansoor Ahmed Qureshi heard the bail petitions filed by the two social media influencers, who appeared before the court along with their legal counsel. The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has registered cases against several digital content creators, including Butt and Mubarak, accusing them of promoting and encouraging gambling through online platforms.
During the hearing, counsel for the petitioners argued that both Butt and Mubarak were willing to cooperate with investigators and join the probe to establish their innocence. The lawyers contended that the allegations levelled against their clients were baseless and that custodial arrest was not required at this stage.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court granted interim pre-arrest bail to the two suspects, restraining the NCCIA from arresting them until January 6. The judge also directed both individuals to formally join the investigation before the next hearing date.
The court’s decision comes days after the Islamabad High Court granted 10-day protective bail to the influencers. That relief was sought through a petition filed by their relatives after Butt and Mubarak returned to Pakistan from London on December 10. Following the protective bail, both accused approached the Lahore sessions court to seek pre-arrest bail.
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According to official records, Butt and Mubarak are nominated in multiple first information reports registered under various cybercrime laws. The allegations include operating or promoting gambling applications, misuse of digital platforms and, in some cases, online harassment. Investigators have stated that progress in the cases remained slow earlier due to the accused being abroad.
Rajab Butt was booked by the NCCIA in September this year for allegedly promoting online gambling applications through his social media accounts. He has faced several legal controversies in the past, including a blasphemy-related case linked to the launch of a perfume brand and an earlier arrest for illegally keeping a lion cub, a matter in which he later pleaded guilty and avoided imprisonment.
The judge granted pre-arrest bail to Butt and Mubarak, restraining the NCCIA from arresting them till January 6. https://t.co/VB0sPADaQ8
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) December 15, 2025
Nadeem Mubarak was also booked in September for allegedly promoting gambling apps. In a separate case, he was arrested for displaying a fake vehicle registration number reportedly linked to former prime minister Imran Khan, an issue that also drew public attention.
The court is expected to take up the matter again after the accused comply with its directive to join the investigation.
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