Latest news with #Puri-based
Hans India
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Any link with spy network will be taken seriously: Min
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Monday said strict legal action will be taken if anyone is found leaking sensitive information to operatives in Pakistan. Harichandan's statement came amid police investigation into the potential links between a Puri-based YouTuber and Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested on the charge of passing on sensitive information to Pakistani intelligence operatives. Speaking to reporters here, Harichandan said the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is conducting the probe on sharing sensitive information with the neighbouring country. 'Anyone found connected to this network will face investigation. Strict action will be taken against those involved -- whether they were directly involved in espionage or were assisting such activities in any form. No one will be spared,' the minister asserted. When asked about possible links of the Odisha YouTuber in the alleged espionage case, he said, 'If at all there is a link, the NIA will do its job properly. If any link is established, the matter will be taken very seriously and the situation will be dealt with accordingly.' 'YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested by Haryana Police, had visited Jagannath temple in Puri, besides Konark and Chilka in Odisha. She was in touch with an Odisha-based YouTuber. We are verifying the facts and nothing substantial has come out till now,' IGP, Crime Branch, Sarthak Sarangi said. After the matter came to the fore, in a social media post, the woman YouTuber from Puri, Priyanka Senapati, said, 'Jyoti was just a friend of mine, and I came in contact with her through YouTube. I was unaware of anything which she is accused of. I would not have been in touch with her had I known that she was spying for enemy Pakistan.' 'If any investigative agency wishes to cross-question me, I would provide full cooperation. Nation is above all. Jai Hind,' she wrote in an Instagram post.
The Hindu
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Strong action will be taken if any Odisha link with espionage for Pakistan is found: Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan
Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Monday (May 19, 2025) said strict legal action will be taken if anyone is found leaking sensitive information to operatives in Pakistan. Mr. Harichandan's statement came amid a police investigation into the potential links between a Puri-based YouTuber and Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested on the charge of passing on sensitive information to Pakistani intelligence operatives. Speaking to reporters in Bhubaneswar, he said the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is conducting the probe on sharing sensitive information with the neighbouring country. 'Anyone found connected to this network will face investigation. Strict action will be taken against those involved, whether they were directly involved in espionage or were assisting such activities in any form. No one will be spared,' the Minister asserted. When asked about possible links of the Odisha YouTuber in the alleged espionage case, he said, 'If at all there is a link, the NIA will do its job properly. If any link is established, the matter will be taken very seriously and the situation will be dealt with accordingly'. 'YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested by Haryana Police, had visited Jagannath temple in Puri, besides Konark and Chilka in Odisha. She was in touch with an Odisha-based YouTuber. We are verifying the facts, and nothing substantial has come out till now,' IGP, Crime Branch, Sarthak Sarangi said. After the matter came to the fore, in a social media post, the woman YouTuber from Puri said, 'Jyoti was just a friend of mine, and I came in contact with her through YouTube. I was unaware of anything which she is accused of. I would not have been in touch with her had I known that she was spying for enemy Pakistan'. 'If any investigative agency wishes to cross-question me, I would provide full cooperation. Nation is above all. Jai Hind,' she wrote in an Instagram post.
New Indian Express
20-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Odisha YouTuber Priyanka Senapati grilled for third day over spy case links; no evidence found yet
BHUBANESWAR: Even as Puri-based YouTuber Priyanka Senapati was interrogated by multiple agencies for the third consecutive day on Monday over her alleged links with Jyoti Malhotra, nothing suspicious has emerged against her so far. 'As it is a sensitive case, Priyanka is being interrogated thoroughly and every aspect of her association with Jyoti is under scrutiny. So far, nothing suspicious has been found but the investigation is still progressing to ensure that we are not missing on any minutest detail which can indicate her involvement with Jyoti in any wrongdoing,' said a senior police officer. Police sources said Priyanka's laptop, her mobile phone and social media accounts are being examined. Besides, police are also probing her and her father Rajkishore Senapati's bank accounts for any unusual or suspicious transactions. Rajkishore runs a restaurant and the source of money through which he started the business is also being verified, they added. Meanwhile, Priyanka reportedly told the investigators that she was a big admirer of Jyoti, who has been arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan, and wanted to be a popular social media influencer like the latter.
Hans India
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Jyoti Malhotra-Puri YouTuber link under scanner
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Police have started an investigation into the alleged links between a Puri-based YouTuber and Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested on the charge of passing on sensitive information to Pakistani intelligence operatives, an officer said on Sunday. The police found that Jyoti, who runs a YouTube channel, Travel with JO, and hails from Hisar in Haryana, had visited Puri in September 2024 and came in contact with a woman in the coastal town of Puri, Priyanka Senapati, who is also a YouTuber. Jyoti, whose YouTube channel and Instagram accounts have 3.77 lakh subscribers and 1.33 lakh followers respectively, allegedly was in contact with a Pakistani staffer working at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi. On May 13, India had expelled that Pakistani official for allegedly indulging in espionage. The woman in Puri had also travelled to Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan recently, Puri SP Vinit Agrawal said. 'We found that Jyoti Malhotra had visited Puri last year, and we are verifying the fact. Anything more can be shared after the verification,' Agrawal said. Asked whether the woman from Puri had shared intelligence inputs with Jyoti, Agrawal said, 'The Haryana Police are investigating the matter and we are providing them the required assistance.' The police are also 'examining the objective' of Jyoti's visit to Puri, and trying to find out 'where she stayed, whom she contacted and any possible suspicious activities', the Puri SP said. 'We are in touch with various Central agencies and Haryana Police. We will share details with the media after field verification,' he said while responding to queries from reporters. The Puri YouTuber's father said the police had quizzed her daughter on Saturday and sought some information. A team of police personnel visited the woman's residence in Puri for an investigation into the matter. 'My daughter came in contact with Jyoti Malhotra as both are YouTubers. As a friendship developed between them, Jyoti visited Puri. As it is a matter of nation's security, a proper investigation should be carried out. We will cooperate with the police,' he said. 'My daughter visited Kartarpur in Pakistan with another friend, not Jyoti, three or four months ago for a pilgrimage. My daughter has no involvement in anti-national activities and was unaware of Jyoti's alleged espionage,' the Puri YouTuber's father said.
New Indian Express
19-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Odisha police question YouTuber Priyanka Senapati over links with ‘spy' Jyoti Malhotra
BHUBANESWAR: As Odisha Police stepped up investigation into the alleged links between Puri-based vlogger Priyanka Senapati and social media influencer Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested by Haryana Police for allegedly spying for Pakistan, it has come to the fore that the former had also visited the neighbouring country earlier this year. Police have found that Priyanka had visited the Kartarpur Sahib Sikh shrine about three months back. The vlogger had shared the videos of her tour on her YouTube account. But it has been ascertained that she was not accompanied by Jyoti during the visit. 'It is being verified, if Priyanka had gone there alone or was accompanied by anyone else. Probe is underway to establish whether her trip was as a plain tourist or there was any other motive behind it,' Puri SP Vinit Agrawal said on Sunday. Investigators visited her house within Puri Town police limits on Sunday and questioned her. Police said, Priyanka and Jyoti had been to various places in the country including Jammu and Kashmir together. The duo had visited Gulmarg last year. Priyanka had reportedly also visited Pahalgam, where 26 tourists were killed by terrorists on April 22, during the same time. They had also visited Kerala together in February this year. The videos and pictures have been uploaded on social media.
