The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has accepted the resignations of four senior officials, including Deputy Director General Sarfaraz Chaudhry, following allegations of custodial torture by popular YouTuber Ducky Bhai. The decision was confirmed in an official notification dated December 12, stating that the resignations would be considered effective from November 20.
Details of the Resignations
Alongside Chaudhry, the resignations include Assistant Directors Muhammad Shoaib Riaz and Muhammad Usman. Another officer, Asma Majeed, who also held the position of Assistant Director, has opted to join the National Forensic Agency. The resignations come amid mounting public scrutiny after Ducky Bhai, whose real name is Saadur Rehman, publicly alleged harassment and torture during his detention by NCCIA officials.
Rehman was arrested in August on charges of money laundering linked to a gambling application and remained in custody for nearly three months. He was released on bail on November 26. In a video message posted on his YouTube channel, Rehman accused Chaudhry of repeated physical abuse, verbal harassment, and psychological intimidation. He claimed to have been slapped, verbally abused with obscene language, and forced to perform physically uncomfortable positions. Rehman also alleged that he was subjected to a video call where a child was encouraged to hurl abuse at him.
Allegations of Extortion and FIA Action
In addition to the torture claims, Rehman accused NCCIA officials of attempting to extort Rs70-80 million to settle his case. Earlier, in October, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested six NCCIA officers, including Chaudhry and Riaz, over charges of “misuse of authority” and accepting bribes. They were specifically accused of taking Rs9 million in bribes from Rehman’s wife. During a November 3 court hearing, the FIA stated that Rs45.8 million had been recovered from the suspects.
The FIA also recently booked several senior NCCIA officers over their alleged involvement in an extortion network linked to illegal call centres. A frontman and a foreign national were also implicated in facilitating these illegal operations. Sources indicate that the illegal call centres in Rawalpindi generated approximately Rs15 million from 15 centres between September 2024 and April 2025, cumulatively earning around Rs120 million.
The resignations of these senior officers come amid increasing public and legal scrutiny, highlighting ongoing concerns over accountability and misuse of authority within Pakistan’s cybercrime investigation units.
