YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra visited Pakistan before Pahalgam attack, had also travelled to China

Two days after the arrest of Hisar-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra on charges of espionage, Hisar superintendent of police (SP) Shashank Kumar Sawan on Sunday said that Pakistani intelligence operatives (PIOs) were grooming her to become an asset.

He revealed that Malhotra had visited Pakistan several times, including a trip before the Pahalgam terror attack, and had also travelled to China.

Addressing a press conference, SP Sawan said central agencies had informed the Haryana Police that PIOs were actively recruiting social media influencers to promote soft narratives. Malhotra, who was arrested on Friday, has been remanded to police custody for five days.

Travel blogger front, finances under probe

“She is being interrogated by the Haryana Police, in coordination with central agencies. We are analysing her financial transactions and travel history to determine the sources of her income,” said SP Sawan. “Her known income sources do not justify her foreign travel. We suspect external funding. On the surface, she was just a travel blogger,” he added.

The SP confirmed that Malhotra was in direct contact with PIOs, including individuals declared persona non grata by India. While she did not have direct access to sensitive defence information, her communication with PIOs during periods of heightened tension between India and Pakistan was “alarming.”

Met high-profile figures while travelling in Pakistan

“She had interacted with several high-profile individuals during her visits to Pakistan. Even though her arrest happened recently, intelligence agencies were already monitoring her activities closely,” said SP Sawan.

Investigators are also scrutinising her Indian contacts who may have introduced her to PIOs and helped facilitate her foreign travels. Her social media content is being analysed for clues about her network and intentions.

Haryana director general of police (DGP) Shatrujeet Kapur, speaking from Sirsa, stated that following ‘Operation Sindoor’, several “anti-national elements” have been identified across multiple districts.

“As part of the probe, we are collecting concrete evidence to file a strong chargesheet and ensure the highest punishment. Intelligence agencies remain in continuous coordination with district police units,” Kapur said.

Odisha Police join probe after revelation about Puri visit

According to PTI, the Odisha Police have initiated their own investigation into Malhotra’s links with a Puri-based YouTuber. Puri SP Vinit Agrawal confirmed that Malhotra had visited Puri in September 2024 and met a woman who had recently travelled to Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan.

When asked if intelligence was shared during that meeting, SP Agrawal said, “The Haryana Police are leading the investigation, and we are cooperating fully.”

Meetings with intelligence officials, encrypted chats

Malhotra, 33, runs a YouTube travel channel called Travel with JO, which has over 3.77 lakh subscribers. She was arrested on May 16 from her residence in New Aggarsain Extension, Hisar, and booked under Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The FIR, filed at Hisar Civil Lines police station, states that Malhotra met Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish at the Pakistan High Commission in 2023 while seeking a visa. Danish introduced her to Ali Ahwan, who arranged her accommodation and further meetings with Pakistani security officials Shakir and Rana Shahbaz.

“She saved Shakir’s contact as ‘Jatt Randhawa’ to avoid suspicion,” the FIR notes. After returning to India, Malhotra allegedly continued communication with the operatives via encrypted apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat.

She met Danish multiple times at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi. The FIR further alleges that Malhotra was part of a wider espionage network operating across Haryana and Punjab, involving agents, informants, and financial handlers.

Danish declared persona non grata

On May 13, the Indian government declared Danish a “persona non grata” for engaging in activities inconsistent with his diplomatic status and ordered him to leave the country within 24 hours.

Two days earlier, Punjab Police arrested two individuals, including a woman, from Malerkotla in a case also linked to Danish.

Family denies charges, links to other arrests

Malhotra’s father has denied the allegations, calling them a conspiracy to defame the family.

Her arrest came just a day after the detention of Devender Singh, a 25-year-old postgraduate student from Kaithal, for alleged links to PIOs. Prior to that, 24-year-old Nauman Ilahi from Shamli was arrested in Panipat under similar charges.