Latest news with #Hisar-based
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘Drop Official Secrets Act against Jyoti Malhotra: Father writes to President, PM
Jailed Hisar-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra's father, Harish Malhotra, on Monday wrote to President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home minister Amit Shah, Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini and state governor Ashim Kumar Ghosh and urged them to drop the Official Secrets Act against his daughter, who was arrested on espionage charges on May 16. Jailed Hisar-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra's father, Harish Malhotra, on Monday wrote to President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home minister Amit Shah, Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini and state governor Ashim Kumar Ghosh and urged them to drop the Official Secrets Act against his daughter, who was arrested on espionage charges on May 16. (File photo) In the letter, Jyoti's father alleged that the Hisar police picked up his daughter and asked her to sign a blank page and they wrote 'fake statement' on her behalf. 'I can assure you that my daughter will never go to Pakistan and request you to cancel the FIR. The police did not get any evidence to prove that my daughter had shared some sensitive information to Pakistani operatives. The Hisar SP himself had stated that Jyoti did not share any military information with Pakistani nationals. If the central and state agencies direct to delete any video from Jyoti's social accounts, she will delete all such videos,' he added. On his daughter's Pakistan visits, Harish wrote that his parents came to India during the Partition and his daughter desired to visit Pakistan to make videos and understand the culture, where her grandparents stayed. 'My daughter's international tours were sponsored by a few travel agencies and she made blogs there. She is patriotic and if you want to check her love for India, she is ready to undergo the polygraph test. After divorce from my wife, I had raised my daughter and my brother. She was the lone person to take care of us. We request you to cancel the FIR and release her so that she can take care of us,' he added. Jyoti was produced in the court through video conferencing and her judicial custody was extended for 14 more days.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Time of India
Dalit activist faces judicial custody with two associates
Hisar: Dalit rights activist and advocate Rajat Kalsan and his two companions, Deepak Saini and Pravesh, have been remanded in 14-day judicial custody. The three of them appeared in court on Saturday after being arrested for allegedly assaulting a police team in Hisar's auto market. They were allegedly under the influence of alcohol at the time. City police apprehended his associates during his one-day police remand. A bail application for all the three accused was submitted during court proceedings. The court sought a response from the police and scheduled the bail hearing for Monday. On Thursday, Narnaund police arrested advocate Kalsan in a separate case registered about six months ago, involving a social media post allegedly supporting the accused in the murder of a woman at Budana village. Kalsan was granted bail by a Hansi court in the case. However, soon after his release, Hisar Police arrested him in the latest case related to the alleged assault. The FIR against advocate Kalsan was registered at the City Police Station on the complaint of Hansi special staff sub-inspector Ravikant under various non-bailable charges. According to the complaint, Kalsan was named in an FIR lodged at Narnaund Police Station on July 29. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Access all TV channels anywhere, anytime Techno Mag Learn More Undo On the night of July 30, at around 10PM, police found three individuals allegedly consuming alcohol inside a parked car in the old auto market, with Kalsan in the driver's seat. When police served him a notice to join the investigation, an altercation ensued. Kalsan and his companions allegedly exited the vehicle and attacked the officers, injuring a sub-inspector. Advocate Kalsan has been a prominent figure in Dalit activism, recently joining protests after the death of a youth named Ganesh in a DJ-related dispute in Hisar. He has also advocated for justice in the Bhatla case in Hansi and was a key legal representative in the high-profile 2010 Mirchpur Dalit atrocity case in the Narnaund region. Complaint submitted to NHRC Hisar-based advocate and social worker Bajrang Indal has submitted a joint complaint to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the National Commission for Scheduled Castes regarding the manner of Rajat Kalsan's arrest. In his memorandum, Indal alleged that Kalsan—known for his advocacy in landmark Dalit rights cases like the Mirchpur massacre—was arrested on July 29 by police in plain clothes. He described it as a "kidnapping-style" operation. He also claimed that Kalsan was held in police custody without access to legal counsel or family visits and was not provided a copy of the FIR. The complaint went on to accuse the police of deliberately taking and circulating humiliating photos of Kalsan in a "criminal posture," which Indal said, was a violation of human dignity and an affront to both the Dalit community and the legal profession. He has called for a judicial inquiry into the episode. MSID:: 123062103 413 | Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Time of India
Haryana teachers demand ‘School safety act' after murder of Hisar educator; schools remain shut in protest
. AMBALA: In the wake of the murder of Hisar-based school teacher Jagbir Pannu by a student, private school educators in Ambala staged a united protest demanding the immediate implementation of a 'School safety act' in Haryana. Over 100 teachers and school administrators submitted two memorandums on behalf of National independent school alliance (NISA) Trust and federation of private schools welfare association (FPSWA), Haryana to Ambala deputy commissioner Ajay Singh Tomar, addressed to the president, Prime Minister, and Haryana chief minister, respectively. The memorandum was received by Ambala city magistrate Abhishek. All private schools in Ambala remained closed today in solidarity, suspending educational activities to highlight the growing threat to teachers' safety in school premises. The protestors voiced deep concern over the increasing incidents of student-led violence in educational institutions. NISA president and FPSWA state president Kulbhushan Sharma said the private schools were kept closed across the entire Haryana state in protest on Wednesday. The memorandum strongly urged the government to enact a School safety act in Haryana without delay. It also demanded that the deceased teacher, Jagbir Pannu, be accorded the status of a martyr, his family granted Rs 1 crore as financial compensation, and a government job be offered to one of his family members. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why Crypto CFDs May Suit Your Portfolio IC Markets Learn More Undo The educators further insisted that such heinous crimes should be fast-tracked in special courts and the culprits be handed the harshest punishment possible. They also called for a legal review of the definition of "minor" in cases of serious crimes, urging that juveniles involved in such brutal acts be tried as adults. A key proposal included in the memorandums is lowering the age of criminal responsibility from 18 to 16 years for such offences. Kulbhushan, who led the protest, said, "The murder of a teacher by a student is not only a tragedy but a warning sign for our society. It should be declared a heinous crime, and we must ensure that minors are not misusing their legal protection to commit such acts fearlessly." He stressed that without ensuring a safe environment for teachers, a robust education system cannot be established. "Teachers are the backbone of society, and their protection must be the government's top priority," Sharma added . The unified voices of more than a hundred educators echoed a strong message to authorities: protect the protectors of knowledge, or risk the collapse of the education system.
Indian Express
05-06-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Trapping social media influencers: ISI's strategy to weave an espionage-cum-propaganda network
Investigations into Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) latest modus operandi of espionage have revealed a concentrated effort to invite, entice, and then co-opt social media influencers through a variety of lures to build a web of informers among the community. Speaking to The Indian Express, a senior official said the cases of Hisar-based YouTube channel operator Jyoti Malhotra and Ropar-based Jasbir Singh, who also ran a YouTube channel, are not isolated, and are part of a well-planned operation by ISI to increase its reach through the twin aims of collecting information and spreading propaganda. Central intelligence agencies and the Punjab Police have been unravelling the spy network which was cultivated by several officials based in the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. Two staff members of the High Commission have already been thrown out of India after the government declared them persona non grata. 'ISI has been using a variety of tools to reach out to social media influencers not only in Punjab but across the country in order to weave an espionage-cum-propaganda network, which works out in favour of Pakistan. The first step is to invite the influencers of various platforms like YouTube, Instagram, X, Snapchat, etc, to the get-togethers of the Pakistan High Commission, and then offer them visas to visit Pakistan,' the official said. Once the influencer travels to Pakistan, the next step of the operation kicks in, under which enticements may be offered by way of cash and kind, including the honeytrap method, which would be used to coerce them into doing their bidding. 'It is a slow process, and often multiple visits are encouraged to Pakistan, and the confidence level in ISI operatives who are working under cover is gradually built up. When the target knowingly or unknowingly makes a false step and falls into their clutches, they close the trap, making it difficult for the influencer to back out,' the official said. Pakistan's efforts to entice Indian YouTube channel operators for espionage stem from a combination of strategic, geopolitical, and tactical motives. Leveraging social media influence for soft power and propaganda is boosted by the reach and credibility. YouTubers, especially those with large followings (Jasbir Singh with 1.1 million subscribers and Jyoti Malhotra with 377,000–381,000 subscribers), have significant online influence. Their content can shape public perceptions, making them valuable for projecting pro-Pakistan narratives or countering anti-Pakistan sentiment in India, say investigators. By encouraging influencers to create content like 'Indian Girl in Pakistan', as seen in the case of Jyoti Malhotra, Pakistan aims to portray a positive image, potentially softening public opinion in India or globally. This aligns with 'soft power' strategies to influence narratives subtly while gathering intelligence. Influencers can also play a vital role in covert operations as they are less likely to arouse suspicion compared to traditional spies, as their travel vlogs and cultural exchanges appear innocuous, providing a cover for espionage activities. ISI has also been found to be exploiting the financial vulnerabilities of influencers, as most YouTubers rely on views, sponsorships, or external funding. Pakistani operatives offer financial rewards, sponsored trips (like Malhotra's visits to Pakistan in 2023), or other incentives to lure influencers, exploiting their need for content and revenue. Intelligence officials say that in the wake of Operation Sindoor and heightened India-Pakistan tensions, ISI likely seeks real-time intelligence on Indian military movements, cantonment details, and strategic operations, especially in border states like Punjab. 'Punjab's proximity to the India-Pakistan border makes it a focal point for espionage. YouTubers travelling in these regions can inadvertently or deliberately gather and share information about troop deployments, infrastructure, or security arrangements, which can be vital to the enemy who wants to collect granular data,' another official said.
Hindustan Times
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Jyoti Malhotra hires senior advocate, to appear in court on June 9
Hisar-based YouTuber and travel blogger Jyoti Malhotra, who is currently in 14-day judicial custody over alleged links with Pakistani intelligence operatives, has appointed senior advocate Kumar Mukesh to represent her in court. She was initially remanded to police custody and later sent to judicial custody by a Hisar court on May 26. Her next court appearance is scheduled for June 9. Malhotra, 33, was arrested on May 16 on charges of espionage and sharing sensitive information with foreign operatives. Speaking to Hindustan Times over the phone, advocate Kumar Mukesh confirmed that Malhotra's father, Harish Malhotra, had reached out to him last week. He visited Jyoti in Hisar Central Jail on Wednesday and discussed the case with her. 'I have filed an application seeking all case-related documents from the police,' said Mukesh. 'We expect to receive the documents within three to four days. Once we review them, we will move a regular bail application. Jyoti had valid visas for her trips to Pakistan and other countries, and at first glance, the evidence against her seems insufficient to substantiate the espionage charges.' Mukesh also appealed to the media to refrain from labelling Malhotra a 'spy' before a charge sheet is filed and the court delivers its verdict. 'Jyoti has told me the police treated her respectfully, and she has fully cooperated during interrogation,' he added. Previously, Malhotra was represented in court by Defense Legal Aid Counsel (DLAC) lawyers Jogmani Sharma, Deepak, and Nitin. Her father Harish reiterated her innocence and expressed trust in the legal system. 'My daughter is innocent and confident that justice will prevail. She told me not to worry and assured me she hasn't done anything that would compromise the nation's sovereignty,' Harish said. 'I've given her more clothes in jail. We're placing our hopes in her new lawyer to present a strong case.' Meanwhile, Hisar police spokesperson Vikas Kumar stated that the investigation has so far uncovered over 12 terabytes of digital data from Malhotra's three mobile phones and laptop. 'Forensic analysis revealed private chats with at least four individuals identified as Pakistani intelligence operatives (PIOs), suspected financial transactions, and signs of VIP treatment during her visit to Pakistan. The data is still under examination,' Kumar said. Malhotra has been charged under Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
