By Satish Mehra Nationwide Safety Correspondent
Might 17, 2025
Hisar, Haryana – Jyoti Malhotra, a 33-year-old journey vlogger identified for her YouTube channel Journey With Jo, was arrested on Might 15, 2025, by Hisar Police on expenses of espionage for allegedly sharing delicate Indian navy data with Pakistani intelligence operatives. The high-profile case, a part of a broader crackdown on a Pakistan-linked espionage community, has raised alarms in regards to the misuse of social media platforms and the vulnerabilities of influencers to overseas manipulation. Malhotra, who boasts 377,000 YouTube subscribers and 132,000 Instagram followers, is accused of breaching nationwide safety beneath the Official Secrets and techniques Act, 1923, and Part 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The Arrest and Prices
Malhotra was apprehended at her residence in New Aggarsain Extension, Hisar, following an investigation by Indian intelligence companies. She was produced earlier than Judicial Justice of the Peace Shri Sunil VII on Might 17, 2025, and remanded to 5 days of police custody for additional interrogation, with a courtroom reappearance scheduled for Might 22. Throughout a raid led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Jitendra Kumar, authorities seized her laptop computer and cell phone, which preliminary investigations counsel have been used to transmit confidential data to Pakistan by way of encrypted platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat.
The First Data Report (FIR), filed by Sub-Inspector Sanjay at Hisar Civil Strains Police Station, expenses Malhotra beneath Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Official Secrets and techniques Act, 1923, for spying, unauthorized disclosure of categorised data, and communication with overseas brokers, respectively, in addition to Part 152 of the BNS for acts endangering India’s sovereignty and integrity. Her case has been transferred to the Financial Offences Wing (EOW) for deeper investigation into the extent of the espionage community.
Malhotra confessed in writing to sharing “anti-national” data, together with particulars about Indian navy areas, with Pakistani operatives. She allegedly saved contacts beneath deceptive names, akin to “Jatt Randhawa” for an operative named Shakir alias Rana Shahbaz, to keep away from detection.
Connections to Pakistani Intelligence
The investigation revealed that Malhotra’s espionage actions started after she visited the Pakistan Excessive Fee in New Delhi in 2023 to use for a visa. There, she met Ehsan-ur-Rahim, alias Danish, a employees member later declared persona non grata and expelled from India on Might 13, 2025, for espionage actions linked to leaking delicate Indian Military motion knowledge. Malhotra traveled to Pakistan not less than twice in 2023, facilitated by Danish, who launched her to Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs), together with Ali Ahwan, Shakir, and Rana Shahbaz.
Throughout her second go to, organized at Danish’s suggestion, Malhotra met members of Pakistan’s Inter-Companies Intelligence (ISI) and started sharing delicate details about Indian areas. She maintained contact with these operatives upon returning to India, utilizing encrypted apps to trade knowledge deemed detrimental to nationwide safety. Investigators additionally uncovered an intimate relationship between Malhotra and an unnamed Pakistani operative, with whom she traveled to Bali, Indonesia, elevating issues about potential “honeytrap” techniques used to recruit her.
Malhotra’s social media exercise additional difficult her case. Her YouTube channel and Instagram account (@travelwithjo1) featured movies from her Pakistan journeys, together with a March 2024 video from an Iftar dinner on the Pakistan Excessive Fee, the place she praised the hospitality and expressed enthusiasm for visiting Pakistan. Within the video, she interacted warmly with Danish and his spouse, discussing Pakistan Day (March 23) and welcoming them to her residence in Hisar. She additionally posted content material selling a constructive picture of Pakistan, akin to Lahore road excursions and Ramadan meals vlogs, which authorities allege was a part of a coordinated affect operation to masks her espionage actions.
The Espionage Community: A Broader Crackdown
Malhotra is one in every of six people arrested throughout Haryana and Punjab in a sweeping operation focusing on a Pakistan-linked espionage community. Different accused embody:
- Yameen Mohd from Malerkotla, Punjab, who facilitated monetary transactions and visa preparations for Pakistani handlers.
- Devinder Singh Dhillon, a 25-year-old postgraduate pupil from Kaithal, Haryana, arrested on Might 12 for sharing movies of the Patiala navy cantonment with ISI operatives after a 2023 pilgrimage by way of the Kartarpur Hall. He faces expenses beneath the Nationwide Safety Act and sedition legal guidelines.
- Arman from Nuh, Haryana, who equipped Indian SIM playing cards, transferred funds, and attended the Defence Expo 2025 on ISI directions.
- Nauman Ilahi, a 24-year-old safety guard from Panipat, arrested on Might 14 for receiving funds by way of his brother-in-law’s account in trade for data.
- Guzala, a 32-year-old widow from Malerkotla, who met Danish on the Pakistan Excessive Fee in February 2025 and was manipulated by way of a promised marriage, receiving funds by way of PhonePe and Google Pay.
The community, uncovered amid heightened India-Pakistan tensions following the April 2025 Pahalgam terror assault that killed 26 individuals, operated by way of emotional manipulation, monetary incentives, and guarantees of marriage. India’s Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory strike towards terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, prompted elevated scrutiny of cross-border espionage, resulting in Danish’s expulsion and these arrests.
Public and Official Reactions
The arrests have sparked outrage on X, with customers like @IndiaStrikes_ labeling Malhotra a “traitor” and @Being_Humor mocking Pakistan’s navy effectiveness regardless of her leaks. @armitaJain prompt a “Love Jihad” angle, although unverified, reflecting public hypothesis about her motives. @IndiaToday reported companies probing a “honeytrap” angle, given Malhotra’s Bali journey and shut ties with operatives.
Hisar DSP Kamaljeet confirmed the seizure of Malhotra’s units, with forensic evaluation ongoing to uncover extra leads. Kaithal Superintendent of Police Aastha Modi famous Dhillon’s social media posts praising Pakistan as a crimson flag. The Ministry of Exterior Affairs has not commented straight however reiterated its stance towards espionage, citing Danish’s expulsion as proof of decisive motion.
Implications for Nationwide Safety and Social Media
Malhotra’s case highlights the dangers of social media influencers being exploited for espionage. Her massive following amplified her attain, making her a perfect goal for ISI operatives in search of to mix affect operations with intelligence gathering. A 2024 Pew Analysis research famous that 62% of Indian social media customers encounter misinformation weekly, underscoring the problem of monitoring digital platforms.
The incident has prompted requires stricter oversight of influencer interactions with overseas entities. X customers like @arunpudur warned that extra content material creators could also be beneath scrutiny, whereas @PTI_News emphasised the restoration of Malhotra’s units as crucial to unraveling the community. The case additionally raises questions on visa vetting, with one consumer suggesting, “Anybody who obtained Pak Visa since 2014 must be investigated.”
Ongoing Investigation and Subsequent Steps
The EOW is probing the total extent of the knowledge Malhotra shared, together with whether or not it straight aided the Pahalgam assault or different ISI operations. Forensic evaluation of her units could reveal extra contacts or compromised knowledge. Authorities are additionally investigating different influencers and people linked to the Pakistan Excessive Fee, with arrests in Malerkotla and Jalandhar signaling a wider web.
Malhotra’s YouTube and Instagram accounts stay energetic, although she has not posted since her arrest. Her movies, as soon as seen as innocuous journey content material, are actually beneath scrutiny for refined pro-Pakistan messaging, akin to captions like “Ishq Lahore” and comparisons of Indian and Pakistani tradition. Her Kashmir video, posted after the Pahalgam assault with the caption “We could go to Kashmir once more?”, has drawn explicit consideration for its timing.
Conclusion: A Wake-Up Name for Digital Vigilance
Jyoti Malhotra’s arrest underscores the evolving nature of espionage within the digital age, the place influencers with important attain will be co-opted into overseas intelligence networks. Her case, set towards the backdrop of India-Pakistan tensions and Operation Sindoor, highlights the necessity for sturdy cybersecurity and oversight of cross-border interactions. As investigations proceed, the incident serves as a stark reminder that even seemingly innocent platforms like journey vlogs can conceal threats to nationwide safety. Malhotra’s destiny, and that of her co-accused, awaits additional revelations as authorities unravel the total scope of this espionage community.
For updates, go to HindustanTimes.com, IndiaToday.in, or observe @PTI_News on X.
