A travel vlogger with a significant following on YouTube and Instagram has been arrested on charges of espionage. Jyoti Malhotra, who ran the channel “Travel with Jo,” was taken into custody by Haryana Police on May 17 under the Official Secrets Act and Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) Section 152. Authorities allege that Malhotra was in contact with Pakistani intelligence personnel and may have shared sensitive information.
Arrest and Allegations
According to Haryana Police, Malhotra had been in “continuous contact” with a Pakistani national identified as Ehsan-ur-Rahim, alias Danish, who was recently expelled from India for espionage. The contact reportedly began during visits to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. Police recovered her phone and laptop and found suspicious content under investigation.
DSP Kamaljeet of Hisar confirmed the arrest and five-day police remand. The case involves provisions of the Official Secrets Act and acts endangering the sovereignty and integrity of India under BNS 152.
Links to Pakistani Intelligence
Rahim, a staff member at the Pakistan High Commission, was declared persona non grata and expelled on May 13. Security sources say he was recruiting assets for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). One of the videos shared by Malhotra on Instagram from an Iftar dinner at the High Commission reportedly shows her in direct contact with Rahim.
Reports indicate Malhotra visited Pakistan twice, allegedly at the invitation and arrangement of Pakistani intelligence. She is among six individuals arrested in recent days from various parts of Haryana including Kaithal and Panipat.
Post-Operation Sindoor Surveillance
According to Haryana DGP Shatrujeet Kapoor, the arrests are the result of heightened vigilance following Operation Sindoor. He noted that the individuals may have been active for some time. But intensified monitoring and intelligence-sharing after recent cross-border military developments helped expose them.
Broader Investigation Underway
Authorities are continuing to investigate the scope of the alleged espionage network. The Ministry of Home Affairs is reviewing the digital and travel records of individuals known to have interacted with Jyoti Malhotra or the Pakistan High Commission.
Police officials have cautioned the public to avoid spreading speculation and allow the investigation to proceed based on evidence.