Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
Chandigarh, May 17: In a major crackdown on espionage, the Haryana Police have arrested six individuals, including popular Hisar-based YouTuber and travel blogger Jyoti Malhotra, for allegedly sharing sensitive information with Pakistani intelligence operatives. This comes just days after multiple espionage-related arrests in neighboring Punjab.
According to officials, Malhotra, who runs the YouTube channel Travel with Jo, had visited Pakistan twice in 2023 and developed links with a suspected spy network operating in Haryana and Punjab. She has been remanded to five days of police custody for interrogation.
Police say Malhotra came in contact with Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, a staffer at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi, during a 2023 visit. Danish, who was declared persona non grata and expelled from India on May 13, allegedly introduced her to multiple ISI operatives.
Investigations reveal that Malhotra allegedly maintained regular contact with Pakistani agents using encrypted apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat. She is accused of transmitting sensitive information about Indian military installations and movements, while using social media to portray Pakistan positively.
She reportedly had a personal relationship with one operative and even traveled to Bali, Indonesia, with him, officials said.
Malhotra has been booked under Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act and Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), based on an FIR filed at the Civil Lines Police Station in Hisar.
Another accused, Devender Dhillon from Kaithal, has also been arrested for allegedly leaking strategic details, including updates on India’s Operation Sindoor.
These arrests follow earlier detentions in Punjab. Two residents of Malerkotla, Gazala and Yameen Mohamad, were taken into custody for passing on military information to a handler linked to the Pakistan High Commission. Gazala reportedly received ?30,000 through UPI in exchange for the intel, according to police.
Amritsar (Rural) Police also arrested Falaksher Masih and Suraj Masih for allegedly sharing images and data related to army cantonments and air bases with Pakistani agents.
Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav said that online payments and frequent contact with handlers confirm the suspects’ deep involvement in cross-border spying. He called the operation a critical step in dismantling espionage networks threatening national security.
Senior officers noted that further arrests may follow as investigations expand into the broader network operating across state lines.