YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra Under Scanner: Travelled to Pakistan Before Pahalgam Terror Strike, Also Visited China

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New Delhi: Days after the arrest of Hisar-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra on espionage charges, Hisar Superintendent of Police (SP) Shashank Kumar Sawan revealed that Pakistani intelligence operatives (PIOs) were actively grooming her to become an intelligence asset. Malhotra, who runs a YouTube travel channel called Travel with JO with over 3.77 lakh subscribers, was arrested on May 16 from her residence in New Aggarsain Extension, Hisar.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, SP Sawan said that Malhotra had made multiple visits to Pakistan, including one just before the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. She had also travelled to China. “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 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.

According to police, Malhotra was in direct contact with several Pakistani intelligence operatives, including individuals already declared persona non grata by India. Her communications with these operatives during periods of heightened India-Pakistan tensions have raised serious concerns among investigating agencies. “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,” SP Sawan said.

An FIR was registered at the Civil Lines police station in Hisar under Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. It states that in 2023, while applying for a visa at the Pakistan High Commission, Malhotra met Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, who later introduced her to another PIO, Ali Ahwan. Ahwan allegedly arranged for her accommodation in Pakistan and further facilitated meetings with intelligence officials Shakir and Rana Shahbaz. The FIR mentions that she saved Shakir’s number under the name ‘Jatt Randhawa’ to avoid detection. After returning to India, Malhotra allegedly remained in touch with the operatives through encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat.

She is also reported to have met Danish multiple times at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) Shatrujeet Kapur stated from Sirsa that following India’s cross-border strikes under ‘Operation Sindoor’, several anti-national elements across multiple districts have been identified. “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.

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