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News18
2 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
From YouTube Fame To Jail For 'Spying', Where Does The Jyoti Malhotra Case Stand Now?
Last Updated: 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. top videos View all 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. Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : espionage jyoti malhotra Operation Sindoor Pahalgam attack Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: May 29, 2025, 07:00 IST News india From YouTube Fame To Jail For 'Spying', Where Does The Jyoti Malhotra Case Stand Now?
The Star
4 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
Digital reform roadmap a good move but gaps remain
PETALING JAYA: Other ministries must emulate the Legal Affairs Division's (BHEUU) initiative to publish a digital roadmap on the government's reforms and new laws, say experts and civil society groups. 'Consistently publishing detailed updates will allow the public to have a better understanding of the status of ongoing reform initiatives,' says the Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4). The digital roadmap, Petari, which was published on May 23, would address the disconnect people feel with the lawmaking process, said C4's chief executive officer, Pushpan Murugiah. 'Over the past few years, BHEUU has shown its dedication to inclusive and participatory policymaking – which is a practice that should be followed by other ministries,' said Pushpan. 'For instance, the public would benefit from having similar transparency on the status of development of amendments to the Official Secrets Act, and Printing Presses and Publications Act, which are under the Home Ministry,' he said. While other organisations have commended BHEUU's initiative, they also argued that the roadmap is missing key reforms that had been promised by Pakatan Harapan in its election manifesto. Projek Stability and Accountability for Malaysia (Projek Sama) says the 'missing' initiatives include reforms to the appointment process for top figures in the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the Election Commission and the Inspector-General of Police. 'Reforms that are left out, such as those mentioned, should be considered for further studies and implementation before the term for the Madani government ends in 2027,' Projek Sama said. Petari, a Malay acronym for Peta Reformasi Institusi (Institutional Reform Roadmap) was launched by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reforms) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said. The digital roadmap lists 14 new Bills and amendments to existing laws that BHEUU is working on, as well as six legal studies and six strategic initiatives. The new laws include one to establish the Ombudsmans office, to regulate funding and financing for political parties and to make Parliament more independent, all of which have been targeted for tabling this year. Petari also includes amendments to the Election Offences Act, The Whistleblowers Act, the Legal Professions Act, as well as ongoing studies such as the separation of the Attorney-General and the Public Prosecutors offices and the possibility of a Human Rights Tribunal for Malaysia. Projek Sama added that to improve Petari, the government should publish clear deadlines for when the new laws and amendments will be brought to Parliament and explain any delays. Petari should also include white papers on reforms to enable better public consultations so that the best solutions can be reached, Projek Sama said. Aliran, a human rights organisation, also welcomed Petari as a positive first step towards transparent governance that allows civil society to monitor the progress of reforms. 'We welcome the inclusion in the roadmap of key legislation governing freedom of information, an ombudsman's office and the creation of a parliamentary services commission. But critical gaps persist,' Aliran said. These gaps include initiatives to remove political appointments to government-linked companies, and limits to the prime minister's power to influence the appointment of judges, Aliran said. 'All these Bills will probably be only as effective as the people appointed to lead the offices and entities established under the respective legislation. 'It is time to establish a bipartisan select committee on vetting crucial appointments. Without addressing the appointments processes, even well-designed legislation risks becoming hollow rather than providing meaningful reform,' added Aliran.
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Nagpur court to hear Sunita's custody plea after midnight
1 2 Nagpur: A Nagpur magistrate court is set to hear a custody plea for Sunita — former Nagpur nurse detained for crossing into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir — in a rare post-midnight session on Thursday. Sunita, accompanied by a four-member Kapil Nagar police team, is expected to arrive in Nagpur in the early hours after being handed over to Nagpur cops by Amritsar rural police on Monday. Sunita crossed the LoC from Hundermaan, a frontier village in Kargil on May 14, leaving her teenage son behind. She wanted to meet her two contacts in Pakistan, which included one Zulfikar and another a 'pastor'. The urgency of the court hearing stems from legal restrictions prohibiting custody of women after sunset or before sunrise, necessitating a special court order. Sunita's case began on Saturday when Pakistan Rangers handed her over to Border Security Force (BSF) at the Attari border. The BSF transferred her to Amritsar rural police, who registered a zero FIR under Official Secrets Act before transferring the case to Nagpur police. Zonal DCP Niketan Kadam emphasized the need for interrogation to uncover Sunita's motives, citing her repeated attempts to cross into Pakistan. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The court was informed of the emergency due to Sunita's late-night arrival, prompting the unusual hearing schedule. "We need judicial approval to take her into custody at unearthly hours," DCP Kadam stated, underscoring the importance of understanding the reasons behind her action. Authorities are keen to investigate whether her border-crossing attempts involve espionage or other motives. Last November, Sunita was intercepted twice at Attari and detained for 20 days by Amritsar police under an executive order, following her second attempt.
Hindustan Times
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
What YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra's father said after meeting her on Day 1 of judicial custody
Harish Malhotra, father of YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who has been accused of spying for Pakistan, visited her at Hisar's Central Jail No. 2 on Tuesday – her first day in judicial custody. Harish Malhotra, visibly emotional after meeting his daughter, told the media that Jyoti had insisted she was innocent. 'She told me she has done nothing wrong,' he said. He chose not to go into more details, The Times of India reported. Jyoti Malhotra was among the 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. The Hisar native ran a YouTube channel – "Travel with JO". She was arrested at the New Aggarsain Extension recently and booked under provisions of the Official Secrets Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. On Monday, a court in Hisar remanded Jyoti Malhotra to judicial custody after the end of her police remand in a case of alleged espionage. The 33-year-old travel influencer was produced in the court. A police spokesperson said they did not seek her further remand after which the court sent her to jail. Meanwhile, data from Jyoti's three mobile phones and a laptop, which had been sent for forensic examination, has been recovered, police sources said on Monday. 'Nearly 10-12 terabytes of data has been recovered. Further investigation in this regard is under progress,' they said. After her arrest, the police had sent her three mobile phones and a laptop for forensic examination. Malhotra's four bank accounts are also being examined. The court had extended Malhotra's police remand by four days when the YouTuber -- arrested on suspicion of espionage -- was last week produced before the court at the end of her five-day police remand. The Hisar police had said no evidence had emerged to indicate Jyoti had access to any military or defence related information. But she was definitely in contact with some people, knowing that they were Pakistani intelligence operatives, they had 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 allegedly indulging in espionage. The National Investigation Agency, Intelligence Bureau, and military intelligence officials have also questioned Jyoti. Investigations have revealed that she visited Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, and some other countries. 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. (With inputs from agencies)
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'I'm innocent': YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra tells father during jail visit
HISAR: Harish Malhotra, father of YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra -accused of spying for Pakistan -visited her at Hisar's Central Jail No. 2 on Tuesday, the first day after her judicial custody began. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Speaking to mediapersons later, an emotional Malhotra said that Jyoti declared herself innocent, declining to share further details. Jyoti was sent to judicial custody on Monday after completing a nine-day police remand. She was arrested on May 17 after case was filed under Section 152 (act endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India) of the Bhartiya Naya Sanhita, along with Sections 3 (penalties) and 5 (wrongful communication, of information) of the Official Secrets Act. She was initially remanded for five days, extended by an additional four days on May 22. On May 26, she was presented in court and subsequently sent to jail. During the nine-day remand, superintendent of police Shashank Kumar Sawan said that no evidence so far suggested that Jyoti accessed sensitive military, defence, or strategic information, or that she was involved in any terrorist activity or linked to any terrorist organisation. However, the SP confirmed that Malhotra was aware of individuals identified as Pakistani intelligence operatives and was in contact with them. Central investigative agencies also interrogated her during the investigation. Authorities are currently analysing data from her four bank accounts, but no official comment has been made regarding financial transactions. The SP further clarified that there is no evidence to suggest that the accused converted to Islam or married any Pakistani intelligence operative.
