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First Post
27-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Did Jyoti Malhotra know her Pakistani contacts had ISI links? What her laptop data revealed
Haryana Police is currently examining the digital trail of YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who is currently under arrest for allegedly spying for Pakistan. The forensic analysis of data obtained from her laptop and mobile phones has unveiled some shocking revelations about her links with Pakistani intelligence operatives read more 'Spy' YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra was in direct contact with at least four Pakistani intelligence agents and spoke to them one-on-one. Image courtesy: YouTube/TravelwithJo Haryana Police is currently examining the digital trail of 'spy' YouTuber , who is currently under arrest for allegedly spying for Pakistan. The 33-year-old travel vlogger was taken into custody earlier this month after intelligence agencies raised concerns over her frequent visits to Pakistan and her close interactions with officials from the Pakistan High Commission. She is now in 14-day judicial custody. During the probe, police recovered a staggering 13 terabytes of data from her five mobile phones and laptop. And now, the forensic analysis of that data has unveiled some shocking revelations about her links with Pakistani intelligence operatives. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Here's what's come to light so far. According to a report by NDTV, Malhotra knew that the Pakistani officials she was in touch with worked with Inter-Services Intelligence, Pakistan's notorious spy agency. Yet, she showed no hesitation or fear while engaging with them. Sources told the outlet that Malhotra was in direct contact with at least four Pakistani intelligence agents and spoke to them one-on-one. These contacts reportedly included individuals named Danish, Ahsan, and Shahid. The Pakistani operatives reportedly provided her with 'special treatment' during her visit to Pakistan, a senior police official told the Hindustan Times, further saying that she was fully aware of their positions, including involvement in intelligence. Security agencies have uncovered that YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra was in touch with three Pakistani intelligence officers during Operation Sindoor. Image courtesy: YouTube/@TravelwithJo Authorities are now working to identify the exact designations and roles these Pakistani agents held within the country's security establishment. Following her arrest, Malhotra reportedly admitted that she had been in touch with a Pakistani officer named Ehsan-ur-Rahim, also known as Danish. She had first met him at the Pakistan High Commission while applying for a visa to visit the country. Danish was expelled by India earlier this month. He was declared persona non grata after being linked to intelligence leaks in Punjab and engaging in activities that violated diplomatic protocols. The clip gained attention since it features the YouTuber meeting Danish, an official at the Pakistan High Commission, along with a few other officials. Image: News18 Besides Danish, NDTV sources had earlier revealed that Malhotra was in frequent contact with Ali Hasan, a handler working for ISI. Officials said the two were in regular communication, with investigators trying to retrieve WhatsApp chats between them. In one such message, Malhotra had reportedly told Hasan, 'Get me married in Pakistan,' indicating a possible emotional connection with him and Islamabad. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Heavy security accompanied Malhotra during Pakistan visit In one of her two-month-old videos uploaded on her YouTube channel Travel with Jo, Jyoti Malhotra can be seen under unusually tight security during her visit to Pakistan. Throughout the video, armed men carrying AK-47 rifles shadow her movements, escorting her wherever she goes. Jyoti Malhotra can be seen under unusually tight security during her visit to Pakistan. Throughout the video, armed men carrying AK-47 rifles shadow her movements, escorting her wherever she goes. Image courtesy: YouTube/@TravelWithJo While en route to the Valmiki Mandir in Lahore, Malhotra is seen conversing with a security officer, who remarks, '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).' As she approached the temple, the streets were heavily manned with security forces dressed in green and black jackets. At one point, some personnel appeared to block off traffic on one end of the road—something Malhotra herself described as a 'chakka jam.' Vehicles stopped to allow her to cross. Interestingly, the same guards—some wearing 'No Fear' jackets—also made an appearance in a video by Scottish YouTuber Callum Mills. In the clip, Mills expressed shock at seeing the heavy security detail around Malhotra in Anarkali Bazar. 'Look at all the guns she has got surrounding her. There's about six gunmen surrounding her,' he said, adding that such a presence made the area appear unsafe. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The kind of security Malhotra received has now come under scrutiny. Haryana Police are investigating who authorised the armed protection, especially since the men in the Anarkali footage weren't in uniform and may have been plainclothes officers. Earlier, authorities raised concerns over how she financed these trips, indicating that they may have been sponsored. 'Her known income sources do not justify her foreign travel. We suspect external funding. On the surface, she was just a travel blogger,' said Hisar Superintendent of Police Shashank Kumar Sawan during a press briefing. Malhotra sent to 14-day custody On Monday, Malhotra was sent to 14-day judicial custody in Hisar, Haryana. This comes after she had already completed a four-day police custody period, which ended the day before. She is accused of leaking sensitive information to Pakistan, including details about nationwide power blackouts that took place during 'Operation Sindoor.' She is accused of leaking sensitive information to Pakistan, including details about nationwide power blackouts that took place during 'Operation Sindoor.' Image courtesy: YouTube/@TravelwithJo 'She was actively communicating with handlers from Pakistan even when there was a communication blackout,' a senior intelligence source told The Financial Express. She also allegedly shared information related to the blackouts imposed across North India during the operation. Police suspect that Malhotra was likely 'developed as an asset' by Pakistani handlers. While she had no access to sensitive defence data, officials believe she was instructed to present Pakistan in a positive light through her content. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'In modern warfare, the enemy tries to set a positive narrative in its favour. The involvement of Malhotra suggests she helped them in setting narratives. This is how influencers and YouTubers are being roped in,' Sawan added. With input from agencies
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
No bail in Army espionage case, HC cites national security concerns
New Delhi: Delhi High Court denied bail to a man, who allegedly passed sensitive Indian Army information to the Pakistan High Commission. A single judge bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma emphasised that the nation's peace depends on the vigilance of its armed forces. "It must be remembered that the nation rests peacefully because its armed forces remain vigilant. It is in their unconditional duty and commitment that the citizenry finds assurance of safety and continuity of the constitutional order," the court added. According to the prosecution, the accused, Mohsin Khan acted as a covert financial channel, secretly moving funds to hide their source and support the transfer of sensitive information to Pakistani officials. The bench stated that in cases involving alleged acts of espionage and transmission of sensitive information to foreign agencies, the threshold for granting bail is necessarily higher. The court must be guided by the larger interest of justice and national security, rather than merely the passage of time in custody. The prosecution submitted before the court that the evidence prima facie corroborated Khan's central involvement in facilitating financial transactions integral to the broader conspiracy of transmitting sensitive information pertaining to the Indian Army to the Pakistan High Commission. The court said that the offence was not merely against a particular individual, institution, or group, but was an offence against the integrity, sovereignty, and security of "Bharat." Noting that such acts strike at the heart of national security and cannot be treated with leniency, the court further said that, "these are not conventional crimes – they are crimes that compromise the trust reposed in individuals who are either part of or have access to our military establishments." Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
The Hindu
23-05-2025
- The Hindu
Jyoti Rani: The vlogger who is being called a spy
On her YouTube channel, 'Travel With JO', Jyoti Rani describes herself as a 'Nomadic Leo Girl', 'Wanderer Haryanvi+Punjabi', and 'a modern girl with old fashioned ideas'. Nationally, she is now known as the woman who has been arrested on charges of espionage by the Hisar Police. Jyoti, a 34-year-old vlogger, has more than 480 videos on her channel and 3.97 lakh subscribers. Shot in different parts of India, her videos show her interacting with locals and providing travel and food recommendations. Some of her videos have also been shot in other countries, including Indonesia, Bhutan, China, and Pakistan. But in Haryana's Hisar district, there is little proof of the adventurous life that Jyoti has led so far, or of the fame she enjoys online. Jyoti lives with her father Harish Kumar (58) and uncle Khushal Chand (65) in New Agarsen Extension area, a noisy neighbourhood inhabited mostly by retired government employees, businessmen, and ex-servicemen. Inside her cluttered and poorly lit bedroom in the 500 square feet house, paint is peeling off the walls. A framed poster of the popular American television sitcom, Friends, hangs from one wall. Another poster next to it reads, 'Peene Ke Hai Chaar Din (There are only four days to drink)'. There are also garlanded photos of her grandparents. Neighbours say they barely know Jyoti. Savitri, who lives next door, says, 'Jyoti mostly stayed outside this house. We saw her once in six months on the terrace. Since there were no women in the house, we didn't interact with them.' Virender Narwal, another neighbour, says he learned about Jyoti's arrest through his relative who called him after watching the news on television. 'The family mostly stays indoors,' he says. On May 16, the Hisar Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Jyoti under Sections 3 and 5 (penalties for spying; and wrongful communication of information) of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and Section 152 (criminalises actions that endanger the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2024. Since then, the number of subscribers on Jyoti's YouTube channel has gone up by 16,000. Journey to Pakistan It was Jyoti's videos from Pakistan that brought her under the official radar, according to the police. Jyoti's most popular video from the neighbouring country is titled 'Indian girl in Pakistan – Wagah Border to Panja Sahib via Lahore'. Posted in April last year, it has 1.3 crore views and over 1.10 lakh 'likes'. In another video, also posted last year, Jyoti is seen attending an Iftar party at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi. It mentions that she was invited by the Embassy a year ago. Jyoti's alleged closeness to officials of the Pakistan High Commission, sponsored visits to the country, and her presence at social gatherings in Pakistan attended by that country's elite all raised eyebrows in India. The Hisar Police believe that Jyoti was lured by the Pakistani intelligence with money, a luxurious lifestyle, and the prospect of establishing high-profile connections. Hisar Superintendent of Police, Shashank Kumar Sawan, who is overseeing the investigation, says Jyoti was on the radar of the central agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), for a long time before her arrest. 'Her travels led investigation agencies to suspect that she was being groomed as an asset by intelligence operatives in Pakistan,' he says. 'We are investigating why she met them and what information was shared with them. The Pakistan intelligence officials were trying to reach out to other YouTube influencers through her.' Shashank adds that Jyoti visited Pakistan as well as Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir before terrorists killed 26 tourists on April 22 at Baisaran valley. The attack led to an escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan. 'We are trying to find out whether there are links between her visits and the attack,' he says. However, the police say since Jyoti did not have any direct access to sensitive information related to defence and the military, there is no evidence yet to suggest that she shared secret details with Pakistani intelligence officials. They also admit that there is no evidence of her being in contact with any terrorist organisation. The police's suspicions about Jyoti also seem to stem from Hisar's strategic location — the district, situated around 160 kilometres west of Delhi, has a military cantonment and an airport. Significantly, the Sirsa Air Force Base lies one and a half hours away from Hisar by road. 'So any small piece of information shared by Jyoti with the Pakistani officials could be of significance to them,' says Shashank. The police expect the forensic examination report of her mobile phones and laptops to throw more light on the 'nature of the information shared by her with Pakistani intelligence officials'. The reel and the real During Partition, Jyoti's family came to India from Multan in Pakistan and settled in Faridkot in Punjab, says Harish. Later, they moved to Hisar. Harish divorced his wife when Jyoti was a teenager. Khushal Chand, who retired as a foreman from the Haryana Electricity Board, also divorced his wife 10 years ago and moved in with Harish and Jyoti. Jyoti graduated with a degree in the arts from Hisar's Fateh Chand College for Women. Harish, who polishes furniture for a living, says though a good student, Jyoti was reluctant to pursue higher education. She worked as a receptionist at a coaching institute and a teacher at a primary school in the neighbourhood before moving to Delhi in search of better opportunities. Harish, a school dropout, claims that he knew nothing about his daughter's job in Delhi apart from the fact she earned ₹15,000-16,000 a month. He says he mostly stays at home due to his failing health and survives on his brother's pension of ₹20,000. When Jyoti lost her job during the COVID-19 pandemic-induced lockdown, she returned to her father and uncle. She told her father that she wanted to make 'reels' and asked him to buy her a laptop. He bought her one for ₹1 lakh, he says. Harish says whenever Jyoti was at home, she would be busy editing 'reels'. 'But she hardly stayed with us in Hisar. She would tell me that she was going to Delhi and would return after a few days or even weeks. None of her friends came home. I had no idea that she had been to Pakistan or any other country for that matter,' he adds. Harish also claims he had no idea what she was posting online. 'I have a basic phone. I didn't know what she was doing until the police reached our doorstep on May 15,' he says. That morning, half a dozen police personnel, including two women, barged into the house and headed straight to Jyoti's room. Harish watched in shock as they left with his daughter, her laptop, and their mobile phones half an hour later. Jyoti returned home late that evening, but did not say a word. 'She ate, brushed her teeth, and went to sleep. The next morning, she went to the police station on her scooter. Then the police returned in the early hours of Saturday (May 17) and took away her passport,' he says in a seemingly well-rehearsed manner, as he has recalled the events of that day several times to the TV reporters who have been thronging his house. Harish also complains about the unwanted attention. He says, 'These journalists have made me ill. I don't get time to eat. I can't sleep. I have a fever too.' A bottle of syrup to treat indigestion and gastric troubles lies at his bedside. Joining the dots The FIR registered on May 16 states that Jyoti met Ehsan-Ur-Rahim alias Danish, an official at the Pakistan High Commission, in 2023 when she went to the Commission seeking a visa. The two of them stayed in touch over the phone. Jyoti later visited Pakistan twice. There she met Danish's acquaintance Ali Ahwan, who arranged for her stay and travel in the country. Ali introduced her to two men — Shakir and Rana Shabaz. Jyoti stored Shakir's mobile number under the name Jat Randhawa. 'She stayed in touch with these Pakistani nationals over WhatsApp, Snapchat, and Telegram and shared anti-national details with them. She also met Danish several times. She was found in touch with Pakistan intelligence operatives,' reads the FIR. The police have also detained for questioning Harkirat Singh, a resident of Ajrana village in Haryana's Kurukshetra district, who works at a gurdwara. They suspect that he introduced Jyoti to Danish. The Pakistani official has since been declared persona non-grata by the Indian External Affairs Ministry and told to leave the country. Harish has not met Jyoti since her arrest and refuses to believe what the police and media are saying. 'I met her briefly when I went to hand over a photocopy of her Aadhaar card after her arrest. She said she was fine and would return home soon,' he says. He wants to hire a lawyer but has no idea how to go about it. 'How much do they charge? ₹20,000 or ₹50,000?' Lawyers say they have not taken up her case in the fear of being labelled 'anti-national' for representing a 'spy'. A Hisar court has appointed a government lawyer to represent Jyoti. On May 22, the court extended Jyoti's police remand by four days. Casting the net wider With the police widening their investigation, other social media content creators and travel vloggers have come under the scanner. Following a review meeting with the Chief Minister Nayab Saini on May 20, Haryana Home Secretary Sumita Mishra said, 'There was a discussion regarding Pakistan-backed operatives in the meeting. This action is not over and will continue. More YouTube channels in Haryana are being probed. We have special cells to monitor social media. Action is being taken against sleeper cells that have links with Pakistan.' Besides Jyoti, the Haryana Police have arrested two youth from Nuh and one each from Kaithal and Panipat on charges of spying and endangering the sovereignty, integrity and unity of the country. Odisha-based YouTuber Priyanka Senapati, also known for her travel videos, is being investigated in the case. The Puri Police in Odisha say they are examining the financial transactions 'of all family members of the woman who came in contact with Malhotra (Jyoti Rani)'. Though the police are yet to find any evidence to suggest that Jyoti has access to any sensitive information or terror links, Shashank says social media influencers could play a pivotal role in creating a narrative that favours Pakistan and counters the Indian government's stand. One of Jyoti's live videos, 'My views on Pahalgam Kashmir', streamed three weeks ago, garnered around 80,000 views. While calling for Hindu-Muslim unity and criticising terrorism, Jyoti stopped short of blaming Pakistan for the attack. 'We should not blame any country or Kashmiris for this... terrorist organisations should be condemned... not any particular religion and any particular country... if anyone has supported those terrorists, we are responsible and our government is responsible because there was a security lapse,' she said in the live video. Navneet Rajan Wasan, former Special Director, NIA, says public opinion holds significance when two nations are 'at war' and that the 'subtle' messaging by social media influencers can help create a narrative in favour of or against governments. 'Spreading a narrative which is against the government's official position could harm our interests,' he says. Navneet has decades of experience in investigating terror cases. He says social media influencers, like 'sleeper cells', may not even be aware that they are being exploited by their handlers to propagate a narrative against their own country. Experts say social media content creators could also be helping handlers by vlogging near key infrastructure, such as metro stations and military locations; setting up honey traps or befriending people in sensitive jobs; and posting geo-tagged pictures. Haryana-based freelance journalist Mandeep Punia, who was arrested by the Delhi Police during the farmers' agitation in 2020-21, says Jyoti is being targeted without any evidence. On a post on X, he wrote: 'People nowadays insist on creating narratives instead of presenting facts, so even progressive accounts are getting caught in this. This woman will be acquitted in the end, but she would have suffered a lot by then. Jyoti Malhotra is one name being highlighted a lot, but here in Haryana, Punjab, people are being arrested in every district by calling them spies. Don't get caught in the trap of creating narratives. Stick to the facts. Many people from Haryana, Punjab used to go to Pakistan for a visit. There was peace between the two countries then. Now the same people are being made scapegoats.'
News18
23-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
How Pakistan High Commission In New Delhi Is A ‘Sleeper Cell' Of ISI
Last Updated: "Pakistan High Commission officials use their diplomatic immunity to recruit agents and facilitate espionage,' say top intelligence sources The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi is acting as a covert hub or sleeper cell of Islamabad's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), according to top intelligence sources. 'Mass scale embassy recruitment is possibly to map targets for fidayeen attacks in the future. The idea is to know the entry points, exits, gate strength and guarding pattern," said sources. According to sources, many, like Jyoti Malhotra, used to make videos from sensitive locations showing the overall guarding pattern. 'The ISI focuses on regions like Uttar Pradesh to identify individuals disillusioned by socio-economic disparities or perceived injustices. ISI officials in Pakistan have asked local staffers to recruit every group capable of raising voice against India. Pakistan High Commission officials use their diplomatic immunity to recruit agents and facilitate espionage," said sources. ISI officials are always working as visa officials in the embassy and working under diplomatic cover as First Secretary or Minister. ISI staffers sometimes project themselves as husband and wife initially to make a person comfortable. CASES IN POINT: WHAT SOURCES SAY For instance, embassy staffers Ehsan-ur-Rahim (Danish) and Muzammil were implicated to cultivate Indian YouTubers and influencers. Their idea was to gather intelligence or spread pro-Pakistan narratives. Mohammad Tarif from Mewat was lured with a visa in exchange for providing SIM cards and later tasked with photographing military installations. Asif Baloch, a former staffer at the Pakistan High Commission, recruited agents like Mohammad Tarif and facilitated their travel to Pakistan for training. THE TARGETS: WHAT SOURCES SAY Visa applicants, especially from sensitive regions of Jammu and Kashmir or military families, were targeted. Vulnerable individuals are attracted through offers of expedited visas, financial incentives, or blackmail. Embassy staff allegedly maintain direct communication with ISI handlers in Pakistan. Individuals in UP's Shamli and Rampur districts like Nauman Ilahi, a security guard, and Shehzad Wahab, a smuggler, were recruited. Nauman Ilahi from Shamli was paid Rs 4,000-5,000 per assignment to share train station maps. Shehzad Wahab from Rampur smuggled goods and shared intel on border security vulnerabilities. They were recruited by exploiting financial hardships and ideological grievances like atrocities on minorities Recruits like Ansarul Miya Ansari, a Nepali-origin taxi driver, was radicalised using issues like the Babri Masjid demolition and anti-CAA/NRC sentiments during training in Pakistan. The ISI recruits social media influencers like Jyoti Malhotra, a travel vlogger, to spread propaganda and gather intelligence. Malhotra was groomed by embassy staffer Danish and introduced to Pakistani intelligence officials during her visits to Pakistan. To avoid detection, recruits are often connected to ISI handlers via intermediaries in third countries like Dubai or Nepal. Nazir Ahmad Bhat, an ISI recruiter in Jammu, arranged meetings in neutral territories to brief agents. Recruits are provided fake Pakistani passports to travel via third countries like Dubai or Sri Lanka. Their Indian passports remain unmarked to evade suspicion. Ansarul Ansari traveled to Pakistan via Nepal using a fake identity after receiving espionage training in Rawalpindi. Once recruited, individuals undergo training in espionage techniques. Ansarul Ansari received training in Pakistan on gathering military documents and coordinates. Devendra Singh Dhillon, a student from Haryana, was trained via the Kartarpur Corridor and tasked with photographing military cantonments. Recruits are assigned tasks collecting GPS coordinates of military installations and photographing sensitive sites such as airbases, cantonments, especially gates for any fidayeen attacks. tags : india Pakistan news18 specials Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: May 23, 2025, 13:24 IST News india How Pakistan High Commission In New Delhi Is A 'Sleeper Cell' Of ISI | Exclusive
Indian Express
23-05-2025
- Indian Express
UP Anti-Terrorism Squad arrests scrap dealer on espionage charge
The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested a 45-year-old man from Noida for allegedly being associated with a Pakistan-sponsored anti-national organisation and allegedly engaging in espionage activities, officials said Thursday. According to officials, the man, Mohammad Haroon, a resident of Seelampur in Delhi, is employed in the scrap business. Police claimed they recovered two mobile phones and Rs 16,900 from his possession. Officials said the UP ATS received intelligence inputs that a person — Mohd. Haroon — was extorting money from people to get them Pakistani visas. 'He was operating in connivance with an employee posted in the Pakistan High Commission and had shared some security-related information related to national interest with him,' said officials. A statement issued by the ATS said that on further investigation, it was found that the High Commission employee was a resident of Pakistan. During questioning, officials said Haroon admitted he has relatives in Pakistan. 'I came in contact with [the employee] while visiting the Pakistan High Commission,' Haroon told the police, said officials. 'Haroon… kept in constant touch with [the High Commission employee] and shared important information related to India's internal security,' read the statement. '[The employee] tried to destabilise India and harm its internal security. On his instructions, Haroon provided details of several bank accounts in which [the employee] made his clients, who had received visas, deposit money. Haroon, after taking some commission, used to give this money in cash to [another] person… at a specified place, which was further used in anti-national activities,' the official said. Further, officials said the High Commission employee has been declared 'Persona Non Grata' by the Government of India and ordered to leave the country. An FIR was registered under section 148 (conspiracy) and 152 (acts endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India) of BNS at the Police Station-ATS. 'Haroon will be produced in court and further legal action will be taken,' said officials.
