YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra has over 3.7 lakh subscribers on YouTube and 1.3 lakh followers on Instagram
Jyoti Malhotra, a 33-year-old travel vlogger from Hisar, Haryana, known for her YouTube channel “Travel with JO,” was arrested yesterday (May 17) on charges of espionage for Pakistan.
She was apprehended by the Civil Lines police in Hisar and is currently under investigation for allegedly sharing sensitive information with Pakistani intelligence operatives.
Investigations have revealed that Malhotra, who has over 3.7 lakh subscribers on YouTube and 1.3 lakh followers on Instagram, maintained close ties with a Pakistani official named Ehsan-ur-Rahim, also known as Danish, who was expelled from India on espionage charges on May 13, 2025, after been declared persona non grata by the government.
She reportedly attended events at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi, including an Iftar party, and had interactions suggesting a well-established relationship with Rahim.
Authorities allege that Jyoti used encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat to communicate with Pakistani intelligence agents, sharing confidential information.
She had also visited Pakistan in 2023 and it was during this trip that she developed close ties with the Pakistani official who was a staff member of the Pakistan High Commission in India.
Jyoti has been charged under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923.
Apart from the YouTuber, nine other people have also been taking into custody under espionage charges.
Reports said they have confessed to their involvement in passing sensitive information to people in Pakistan and that further investigations are underway.
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