From YouTube Fame To Jail For 'Spying', Where Does The Jyoti Malhotra Case Stand Now?
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Youtuber and travel influencer Jyoti Malhotra has been sent to judicial custody after the end of her police remand in the espionage case
Just a harmless travel blogger or a hardened spy? In a matter of weeks, Jyoti Malhotra's life went from YouTube fame to being jailed on espionage charges. It almost looks like a plot from a spy thriller. Except that it is not.
Jyoti Malhotra, a 33-year-old travel influencer, was among 12 people arrested from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh over the past three weeks on suspicion of espionage, with investigators suspecting the presence of a Pakistan-linked spy network operating in north India.
Malhotra, who is from Haryana's Hisar, ran a YouTube channel – 'Travel with JO". She has been booked under provisions of the Official Secrets Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
She has pleaded innocence before her father, Harish Malhotra, who visited her in jail and later spoke to the media about his daughter. Setting aside the emotionality of the matter, videos have emerged – one of which is her own – painting a picture of alleged closeness to Pakistani officials and giving a glimpse into her high-security visit to Pakistan.
WHAT IS THE CURRENT LEGAL STATUS OF THE CASE?
On May 26, Malhotra was sent to judicial custody after the end of her police remand in the espionage case. She was produced in court.
A police spokesperson said they did not seek her further remand after which the court sent her to jail. Last week, the court had extended her police remand by four days when she was produced before the court at the end of her five-day police remand.
After her arrest, the police, which seized her three mobile phones and a laptop, sent the articles for forensic examination. Her four bank accounts are also being examined.
According to police sources, data from the Youtuber's gadgets has been recovered. 'Nearly 10-12 terabytes of data has been recovered. Further investigation in this regard is under progress," they said.
Police sources had said she was in touch with Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, a staffer at the Pakistani High Commission, since November 2023. India expelled Danish on May 13 for his alleged links in espionage. She was also allegedly in touch with Danish during the four-day military conflict between India and Pakistan that followed the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, they had said.
Over the past three weeks since she was arrested, however, the media scrutiny over Malhotra has been intense. After some reports carried speculation and hearsay, particularly about her personal life and character, the Hisar police had last week issued a press release putting out bare facts such as a list of gadgets seized from her, and clarified that the forensic reports were not yet in.
The police said there is no evidence to indicate that she had access to any military or defence-related information. But, they said, she was definitely in contact with some people, knowing that they were Pakistani intelligence operatives.
'It is noticed that while the investigation is on…many baseless reports are circulating in the media," the police release in Hindi said, adding that such false reporting 'impacts not only the investigation but also national security".
Point by point, the police rebutted false reports. About her personal life, in particular, the police release said there was nothing yet suggesting that she had married any Pakistani official or converted to another religion.
WHAT ARE THE VIDEOS FROM HER PAKISTAN TRIPS?
Malhotra has travelled thrice to Pakistan and posted the videos of these visits on her YouTube channel and Instagram page. Videos related to her trip to Lahore have gone viral after her arrest. These purportedly show that she was provided high security during the visit to the neighbouring country.
The video is mostly of her roaming the streets and describing her experience as an Indian walking the streets of Lahore. But, it also shows that she is surrounded by gunmen armed with AK-47s, and she was followed by the security cover wherever she visited. At one point, officials even blocked traffic movement for her convenience.
Malhotra, during her trip, visited Lahore's Valmiki Mandir, where she was spotted interacting with a security official. 'A special door at Shahi Qila (Lahore Fort) was opened for you. It is the oldest door there. Now that you are here, do visit Anarkali Bazar (also in Lahore)," she is told.
Another video is by Scottish Youtuber Callum Mill, who was also present at the spot, and expressed surprise at seeing an armed security detail surrounding Malhotra at Anarkali Bazar. He was seen briefly interacting with her and is heard saying: 'Look at all the guns she has got surrounding her. There's about six gunmen surrounding her."
The videos have managed to raise more questions about her interaction with high-profile Pakistani officials. One of her other videos reveals that she attended an iftar dinner at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi last year.
She had also posted the video, expressing an interest in visiting Pakistan and asking almost everyone she met to help her get a visa. In that video, she is seen interacting with Danish, who was declared persona non grata and asked to leave India within 24 hours for committing espionage and leaking sensitive information regarding the movements of the Indian Army.
The FIR against Malhotra mentioned that she met Danish in 2023 at the High Commission and has been in touch with him since. He allegedly played the role of her handler and facilitated her introduction to Pakistani intelligence operatives.
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In the purported video with Danish, she describes the atmosphere at the High Commission. 'I am mesmerised. I have no words. I am excited, super duper excited. Bhaisahab, main to hil gayi (I am so impressed)," she is heard saying.
She was also seen interacting with several attendees and asking whether they have visited Pakistan, saying 'I want to go, too". 'Hopefully I will get a visa, we'll go together," she had said to a fellow YouTuber.
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espionage jyoti malhotra Operation Sindoor Pahalgam attack
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New Delhi, India, India
First Published:
May 29, 2025, 07:00 IST
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