Jyoti Malhotra, a 34-year-old travel vlogger from Hisar, Haryana, known for her YouTube channel “Travel with Jo,” was arrested by the Haryana Police on charges of spying for Pakistan. With over 377,000 YouTube subscribers and a significant social media presence, Malhotra’s arrest has sent shockwaves through India, raising questions about the intersection of social media influence, national security, and modern espionage. Accused of sharing sensitive information with Pakistani intelligence operatives, she is one of six individuals apprehended in a broader investigation into an alleged espionage network spanning Haryana and Punjab. Charged under the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Malhotra’s case highlights the evolving nature of warfare, where influencers can be leveraged to shape narratives and gather intelligence.
Malhotra, who describes herself as a “Nomadic Leo Girl” and a “Haryanvi + Punjabi modern girl with old ideas,” began her YouTube journey in 2011, amassing 487 videos that document her travels across India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Indonesia, China, and Pakistan. Her content, which includes vibrant vlogs about exploring Lahore’s markets, visiting Hindu and Sikh temples, and experiencing Pakistan’s culture, projected a positive image of the neighboring country. In 2023, she visited Pakistan twice, facilitated by visa arrangements through commission agents. During these trips, she developed close ties with Ehsan-ur-Rahim, alias Danish, a staff member at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, who was expelled by India on May 13, 2025, for alleged espionage activities. Danish reportedly introduced Malhotra to Pakistani intelligence operatives, including Ali Ehwan, Shakir, and Rana Shahbaz, whose contact details she saved under pseudonyms like “Jatt Randhawa” to evade suspicion.
The Haryana Police, acting on inputs from central intelligence agencies, arrested Malhotra after months of surveillance. During interrogation, she confessed to maintaining regular contact with her Pakistani handlers via encrypted platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat. She admitted to sharing sensitive information about Indian locations, including details that could potentially harm national security. Authorities also discovered that Malhotra attended high-profile events in Pakistan, including an Iftar dinner at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi in 2023, where she was seen engaging comfortably with Danish. Her videos from Pakistan, such as one posted in March 2025 detailing her border-crossing experience at Attari-Wagah, portrayed her enthusiasm for the country and its hospitality, which investigators claim was part of a coordinated effort to project a pro-Pakistan narrative.
Malhotra’s lavish lifestyle, including first-class flights, stays in plush hotels, and dining at high-end restaurants, raised red flags, as her declared income from YouTube appeared disproportionate to her travel expenses. Police suspect her trips, including a visit to China in June 2024 following a 12-day tour of Pakistan in April, were sponsored, possibly by her Pakistani contacts. Her financial transactions and bank records are under scrutiny by the Economic Offences Wing in Hisar, which is investigating how she funded her global travels. Additionally, Malhotra’s visit to Puri, Odisha, in September 2024, where she connected with another YouTuber now under investigation, has prompted the Odisha Police and Intelligence Bureau to probe potential links to the espionage network.
The case gained further attention due to its timing, coinciding with heightened India-Pakistan tensions following the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people, and India’s subsequent Operation Sindoor, a precision strike on terror infrastructure in Pakistan. Malhotra’s video commenting on the Pahalgam attack, captioned “Shall we visit Kashmir again?” drew scrutiny, though police clarified she had no direct access to military or defense-related information. Instead, her role appeared to involve shaping public narratives and relaying information about Indian locations to her handlers. Hisar Superintendent of Police Shashank Kumar Sawan emphasized that modern warfare extends beyond borders, with adversaries using influencers like Malhotra to push favorable narratives, describing her as an “asset” being developed by Pakistani operatives.
Malhotra’s arrest is part of a broader crackdown, with six others, including a 25-year-old student, a 24-year-old security guard, and a 32-year-old widow from Malerkotla, Punjab, named Guzala, apprehended for similar espionage activities. Guzala, for instance, was lured by Danish with promises of marriage and received payments via apps like PhonePe and Google Pay. The network’s operatives are accused of acting as agents, financial conduits, and informants across northern India. Malhotra’s case has also drawn attention to her personal life, including an alleged intimate relationship with a Pakistani intelligence operative, with whom she traveled to Bali, Indonesia. This relationship, combined with her frequent interactions with Pakistani officials, deepened suspicions about her motives.
Public reaction has been polarized. Malhotra’s father, Harish Malhotra, a retired official from Haryana’s power distribution department, denied the allegations, claiming his daughter was framed and had visited Pakistan with necessary permissions to shoot videos. He questioned why she couldn’t maintain friendships across borders. Conversely, social media posts on platforms like X have condemned her, with some calling her actions a betrayal of the nation, especially given the sacrifices of Indian soldiers. Protests by supporters, however, argue that her arrest reflects an overreach by authorities, potentially targeting influencers to curb free expression.
The investigation continues, with authorities analyzing Malhotra’s devices, communications, and connections to other influencers, including a Puri-based YouTuber who traveled to Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan. The case underscores the challenges of regulating social media in an era where influencers wield significant reach—Malhotra’s Instagram alone has 133,000 followers—and can be exploited for espionage under the guise of content creation. It also highlights the complexities of India-Pakistan relations, where arrests for spying are not uncommon but rarely involve public figures with such visibility.
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