Haryana News: YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra Arrested For Spying For Pakistan; Visited Twice In 2023, Linked To Expelled Pak Official
Chandigarh: Haryana police on Saturday arrested a Hisar-based woman travel blogger for allegedly spying for Pakistan providing sensitive information to its intelligence agencies.
Police said that Hisar-based YouTuber, Jyoti Malhotra, was arrested under sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923 and Section 152 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
According to police, the accused Jyoti was in contact with one Ehsan-ur-Rahim, alias Danish, an employee of Pakistan High Commission, in New Delhi, since 2023 and also on Ali Ehwan, who ensured her staying and travelling in Pakistan in 2023. She visited Pakistan twice that year.
She was also introduced to two others - Shakir and Rana Shahbaz. Danish who was said to be her handler and the one who allegedly introduced her to Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs). She also travelled to Bali, Indonesia with one of PIOs.
Notably, Danish was declared persona non grata by the Indian government and expelled on May 13, last.
Police said the accused Jyoti remained in touch with all the operatives via encrypted platforms on WhatsApp, Snapchat and Telegram and that the accused Jyoti, who runs her YouTube channel "Travel with Jo’’, is allegedly a part of a network active in northern states including Punjab and Haryana with key operatives acting as agents, financial conduits and informants.
Meanwhile, police said that the accused was part of a large network and that five others have also been arrested so far for their alleged roles in spying and conveying sensitive information and facilitating financial and logistical support to the Pakistani handlers. While she was also accused of projecting a positive image of Pakistan on social media, her handlers also exploited the relevant information from her large subscribers’ base.
With the arrest of Jyoti, the number of accused of spying caught in the past few days from Punjab and Haryana has reached six - while one Arman was caught in Nuh, one Devinder Singh was nabbed from Kaithal, Nauman Ilahi from Panipat and Guzala and Yameen Mohammad were nabbed from Malerkotla (Punjab).
Notably, it was following the interrogation of the Guzala and Yameen by Punjab police that accused Jyoti's name had come to fore following which the Punjab police informed the Haryana police which questioned her and found out the details mentioned above after which she was arrested.
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