Jyoti Malhotra, a Haryana-based YouTuber known for her travel channel Travel with Jo, was arrested last week on charges of espionage for Pakistan and remains in extended police custody. According to authorities, Malhotra had been in regular contact with Ehsan-ur-Rahim—also known as Danish—a Pakistani intelligence officer who allegedly worked to develop her as an intelligence asset.
YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, arrested on charges of espionage for Pakistan, has had her police custody extended by four more days. She was initially detained on May 17 in Hisar for allegedly passing sensitive information to a Pakistani intelligence operative and was earlier remanded to five-day police custody, which concluded today. Malhotra, a travel vlogger with 3.77 lakh subscribers on YouTube, was reportedly in regular contact with Ali Hasan, an operative linked to Pakistan’s spy agency, the ISI.
During investigations, a WhatsApp message surfaced in which Malhotra reportedly told Danish, “Get me married in Pakistan.” However, Hisar Superintendent of Police clarified that no formal documentation has been found to indicate any intent to convert religion or marry a Pakistani intelligence officer (PIO).
Malhotra had reportedly traveled to Pakistan twice, where she interacted with Pakistani officials, including those introduced to her by Danish, such as Ali Ahwan, Shakir, and Rana Shahbaz. Police say these individuals helped facilitate her stay in Pakistan and deepen her connections with the ISI network.
The 33-year-old, who boasts 3.87 lakh subscribers on YouTube and over 100,000 Instagram followers, was questioned by both the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) prior to her arrest. She has been booked under Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act and Section 152 of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita.
Authorities suspect Malhotra may be part of a broader Pakistani spy network operating in northern India. She is among 12 individuals arrested across Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh in the past two weeks in connection with similar espionage allegations.
