LAHORE: In the wake of recent allegations involving YouTuber Ducky Bhai, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has accepted the resignations of four of its senior officers, including Deputy Director General Sarfaraz Chaudhry. The agency announced these resignations in a notice dated December 12, stating they are effective from November 20.
The officials who stepped down include Assistant Directors Muhammad Shoaib Riaz and Muhammad Usman. Additionally, Asma Majeed, who previously held the same position, has decided to join the National Forensic Agency.
The resignations follow serious accusations made by Saadur Rehman, better known as Ducky Bhai, who alleged that he was subjected to custodial torture and humiliation at the hands of Sarfaraz Chaudhry. Rehman was detained in August on charges of money laundering via a gambling app and was held in NCCIA custody for nearly three months before being granted bail on November 26.
In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Rehman claimed that Chaudhry struck him multiple times, used vulgar language, forced him to bend his legs and raise his arms, and even arranged a video call where a child was encouraged to verbally abuse him. Rehman further accused NCCIA officials of attempting to extort Rs70-80 million from him, offering to settle his case for a hefty sum.
Earlier, in October, the FIA apprehended six NCCIA officers, including Chaudhry and Riaz, on charges of abuse of authority and accepting bribes to influence ongoing investigations. The FIA alleged that they received Rs9 million in bribes from Rehman’s wife. During a court hearing on November 3, authorities claimed to have recovered Rs45.8 million from the accused.
Separately, the FIA’s Anti-Corruption Circle filed charges against several senior NCCIA officials last month, accusing them of extortion linked to illegal call centers. The investigation also identified a foreign national and a frontman involved in facilitating these illicit activities. Sources within FIA revealed that approximately Rs15 million was being generated monthly from around 15 illegal call centers operating in Rawalpindi, with the total extortion revenue reaching approximately Rs120 million between September 2024 and April 2025.
