Popular Hisar-based travel YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra was detained on suspicion of espionage for Pakistan
Six people from various locations have been detained by the Haryana Police on suspicion of espionage for Pakistan, including Jyoti Malhotra, a YouTuber from Hisar. She was taken into custody in Hisar’s New Aggarwal Extension after being arrested by the Civil Lines Police and for passing on sensitive Indian information to Pakistani intelligence operatives, a case has been lodged against her under Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Who is Haryana YouTuber and travel vlogger Jyoti Malhotra, arrested for spying for Pakistan, biography, age, family and Instagram
According to the FIR, Malhotra had been in regular contact with Pakistani handlers through messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat and investigators claim she was actively passing on information that could compromise national security.
Jyoti Malhotra is well-known on the internet for her travel channel “Travel with Jo,” which has over 377,000 members. She is currently at the centre of an inquiry into a purported espionage network with ties to Pakistan that operates throughout northern India.
Jyoti who is from Haryana is a Punjabi Hindu by religion. While her DOB and family details aren’t known, she is aged between 23-35 years.
YouTuber and Travel Blogger #JyotiMalhotra
She visited Pakistan two months ago and made a vlog
Showing how good and hospitable the people of Pakistan are.
She wanted de-escalate.
Today, she has been arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/7b4MPeMIWC
— Yanika_Lit (@LogicLitLatte) May 17, 2025
Police in Hisar detained Jyoti Malhotra on suspicion of spying and giving Pakistani intelligence officers private Indian information. She was charged under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923. Following a five-day police remand following her confession and arrest, the Economic Offences Wing is currently investigating her case.
Malhotra reportedly visited Pakistan twice in 2023, where she met operatives including Ali Ehwan, Shakir, and Rana Shahbaz and had saved the contacts under disguised names like “Jatt Randhawa” to avoid suspicion.
During a 2023 visit, Malhotra met Ehsan-ur-Rahim, also known as Danish, a staffer at the Pakistan High Commission (PHC) in New Delhi, according to the FIR filed by sub-inspector Sanjay at the Hisar Civil Lines Police Station. She was allegedly handled by Danish, who introduced her to Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs) and kept in touch with her on a regular basis over encrypted platforms.
Malhotra is said to have met operatives Ali Ehwan, Shakir, and Rana Shahbaz on her two trips to Pakistan in 2023. To escape suspicion, she had stored connections under fictitious identities, such as “Jatt Randhawa.”
Additionally, Jyoti recorded a video of Pakistan’s Anarkali Bazaar and shared it on her Instagram. In addition, he has provided sensitive information about the two nations by comparing their cuisines, cultures, and a host of other topics.
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She also reportedly accompanied one of the intelligence officers to Bali, Indonesia, indicating a level of participation that goes beyond simple communication.
Malhotra is charged with promoting a favourable picture of Pakistan on social media while posing as a harmless travel blogger under the YouTube channel “Travel with Jo,” reportedly as part of a planned influence campaign.