The Lahore court has sentenced famous YouTuber Rajab Butt to a fine of 50,000 rupees and community service for illegally keeping a lion cub. Rajab Butt has been ordered to create and upload videos on social media every month for one year, focusing on animal rights and protection.

Judicial Magistrate Hamid Rehman stated that Rajab Butt must upload a five-minute video during the first week of each month to raise public awareness about wildlife conservation and illegal hunting. The Wildlife Department will monitor these videos.

Rajab Butt had accepted the lion cub as a gift during his wedding, which violated wildlife laws. The Department of Wildlife filed a case against him for keeping the cub without permission and license. Rajab Butt admitted his crime in court and left himself at the mercy of the court.

The court noted that if the convict fails to fulfill his community service responsibilities, he could face a prison sentence. Upon completing the community service, Rajab Butt will receive a certificate, indicating that he has atoned for his crime. According to the court’s decision, the lion cub will be kept at the Safari Park for now and will remain there until further orders.

Rajab Butt expressed in a statement, “I admit that the lion cub was found in my possession illegally. I didn’t know that wild animals couldn’t be accepted as gifts. Now I understand that keeping wild animals in such circumstances is inappropriate. I regret my actions. As a social media influencer, I should create positive content.”

He further stated, “I wasn’t authorized to keep the lion cub. I set a wrong example. Realizing my mistake, I will voluntarily provide community service through my social media platform and send a positive message regarding animal rights. I leave myself at the mercy of the court.”

A special judicial magistrate in Lahore has handed TikToker Rajab Butt a one-year community service sentence for keeping a lion cub without legal authorization. Butt admitted to possessing the lion cub without the necessary license, leading to his conviction.

As part of the court’s decision, he is required to perform community service and create vlogs promoting animal rights during the first week of each month. The sentence is set to be carried out from February 2025 to January 2026.

In December, authorities from the Chuhng police and Punjab Wildlife Department conducted a raid at Butt’s residence in a private housing society. The operation uncovered the lion cub and illegal weapons at the premises.

During questioning, Butt claimed the lion cub was a wedding gift from a friend and denied violating wildlife laws. Earlier, Rajab Butt, was granted bail following his arrest in Lahore for allegedly keeping a lion cub without proper authorization and showcasing weapons publicly.

The raid on his residence in the Chung area was carried out jointly by the police and the Wildlife Department after receiving reports of illegal activities involving wildlife and firearms. Butt, recognized for his family-centric content, stunts, and lifestyle vlogs on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, enjoys a massive online presence with 4.56 million YouTube subscribers.

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