Haryana YouTuber Arrested for Allegedly Sharing Secrets with Pakistani Intelligence

YouTuber's Arrest Sparks Espionage Concerns

Chandigarh: A YouTuber from Haryana has been detained for allegedly transmitting sensitive information to operatives of Pakistani intelligence, as reported by local authorities on Saturday.

Jyoti Malhotra, who operates the YouTube channel 'Travel with JO' and is originally from Hisar, was apprehended in New Aggarsain Extension.

She faces charges under the Official Secrets Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, according to police statements.

Following her court appearance, she was placed in police custody for five days.

With a subscriber count of 377,000, Jyoti reportedly maintained contact with a Pakistani official at the High Commission in Delhi, who was expelled from India on May 13 for alleged espionage activities.

Previously, Punjab police arrested two individuals, including a woman, in Malerkotla for their suspected involvement in espionage linked to the same Pakistani official.

In 2023, Jyoti met Ehsan-ur-Rahim, also known as Danish, at the Pakistan High Commission while applying for a visa to visit Pakistan, as detailed in an FIR filed at the Civil Lines Police Station on May 16.

Having traveled to Pakistan twice, she was introduced to Danish's associate, Ali Ahwan, who facilitated her accommodation during her visits.

Ahwan also arranged meetings for Jyoti with Pakistani Security and Intelligence officials, including Shakir and Rana Shahbaz, whose contact she saved under the alias 'Jatt Randhawa' to avoid detection.

She communicated with these individuals via WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat, allegedly sharing sensitive information.

The FIR indicates that she had multiple meetings with Danish at the Pakistan High Commission and was found to be in contact with Pakistani intelligence operatives.

Jyoti's arrest follows the detention of a 25-year-old postgraduate student, Devender Singh, from Kaithal, who was also linked to Pakistani intelligence and arrested for posting photos with weapons on social media.

Additionally, a 24-year-old man named Nauman Ilahi was arrested in Panipat for allegedly providing sensitive information to contacts in Pakistan.