Haryana YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra Arrested for Spying for Pakistan
Investigations reveal that Malhotra traveled to Pakistan multiple times, where she met individuals linked to Pakistani intelligence.
Jyoti Malhotra, a 33-year-old YouTuber and travel vlogger from Hisar, Haryana, known for her YouTube channel “Travel with JO,” has been arrested on charges of espionage for Pakistan. With over 3.7 lakh YouTube subscribers and 1.3 lakh Instagram followers, Malhotra is accused of sharing sensitive information with Pakistani intelligence operatives.
According to Media report, Malhotra came into contact with Ehsan-ur-Rahim, alias Danish, a staffer at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi, during a 2023 visa application process.
Rahim, who was expelled from India on May 13, 2025, for alleged espionage activities, is believed to have introduced Malhotra to Pakistani intelligence officials during her visits to Pakistan.
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Investigations reveal that Malhotra traveled to Pakistan multiple times, where she met individuals linked to Pakistani intelligence. She allegedly maintained communication with these operatives through encrypted messaging platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat, sharing sensitive information, including details about Indian Army movements in Haryana and Punjab, reported Indiatimes.
Authorities have also raised concerns about the funding of Malhotra’s international trips, which reportedly defy her known sources of income. Her travels to Pakistan and other countries, including China and Indonesia, are under scrutiny as part of the ongoing investigation, said a NDTV report.
Malhotra has been booked under Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. She has been remanded to five days of police custody as investigations continue.
Her arrest is part of a broader crackdown on espionage activities in the region, with at least ten individuals arrested across Haryana and Punjab in recent weeks for alleged spying for Pakistan.
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The case has also brought attention to other Indian travel influencers who have collaborated with Malhotra or featured content related to Pakistan. While no formal charges have been filed against them, authorities are reportedly examining their activities for potential links to espionage networks.
Malhotra’s father, Haris Malhotra, has defended his daughter, stating that her trips to Pakistan were for creating travel content and that she had obtained all necessary permissions. He also expressed concerns over the seizure of the family’s electronic devices and documents by the police.
The arrest underscores the growing concerns over the use of social media platforms for espionage activities and the challenges authorities face in monitoring digital communications. The investigation is ongoing, with further developments expected in the coming days.
