Jyoti Malhotra, a popular travel blogger from Haryana, has been arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan, reported The Economic Times on Monday. With over 3.7 lakh YouTube subscribers, she is accused to have passed secret information to Pakistani intelligence via WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat.
Her Instagram account is also said to have been taken down by Meta.
Malhotra is allegedly said to have close ties with a Pakistani official, was expelled from India and has attended events at the Pakistan High Commission. Investigations have revealed multiple visits to Pakistan and a relationship with a Pakistani agent, added the report.
Malhotra was arrested by Civil Lines police in Hisar on suspicion of spying for Pakistan. The owner of the channel ‘Travel with JO’ was taken into custody from New Aggarsain Extension and booked under the Official Secrets Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Indian police allege that Malhotra maintained regular contact with Pakistani intelligence operatives, sharing sensitive information through WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat.
Malhotra’s YouTube channel features numerous videos from her visits to Pakistan, with titles such as ‘Indian Girl in Pakistan’, ‘Indian Girl Exploring Lahore’, and ‘Indian Girl at Katas Raj Temple’. Investigators say she was tasked by her Pakistani handlers to present a positive image of Pakistan on social media, added the report.
How the espionage unfolded
According to the First Information Report (FIR), Malhotra met a man named Ahsan-ur-Rahim, also known as Danish, during a 2023 trip to Pakistan. The two maintained contact after she returned to India. On a later trip, she met other Pakistani intelligence officials introduced by Danish.
Police said, “She has confessed to her role. Her travel history includes four visits to Pakistan, and she maintained encrypted communication with handlers on WhatsApp, Telegram and Snapchat,” DSP Kamaljit Singh was quoted as saying by Economic Times.
The investigation also revealed Malhotra’s links with the Pakistan High Commission in India. She attended an iftar party hosted by the commission last year after accepting what she called a “special invitation.”
Her arrest comes shortly after Punjab Police detained two individuals from Malerkotla linked to a similar espionage case involving a staff member at the Pakistan High Commission.
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