Did Jyoti Malhotra Know Her Pak Friends Were ISI? What Cops Found On Laptop
Haryana YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra knew that the Pakistani officials she was in touch with worked with Inter-Services Intelligence, Pakistan's notorious spy agency, but she had no fear. This has come to light during Haryana Police's examination of the digital devices of the 33-year-old YouTuber, who has been arrested for spying for Pakistan.
According to sources, Jyoti Malhotra was in contact with four Pakistani intelligence agents and spoke to them one-on-one. These include Danish, whom she met during a visit to the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi, Ahsan and Shahid. The investigators are now trying to confirm these agents' designations and job titles within the Pakistan security establishment.
Earlier, police seized Jyoti Malhotra's digital devices, including her phone and laptop. While many messages and other information had been deleted, police managed to recover a massive 12 TB of data. This data is now being scanned for more leads in the case. According to sources, this data evidence establishes that Jyoti Malhotra was well aware that she was speaking to ISI officials, but she was not scared and continued contact.
The YouTuber, who has a travel vlogging channel, has been charged under the Official Secrets Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section penalising acts endangering India's unity, sovereignty and integrity. Sources among the investigators have said the recovered data might lead to more charges against Jyoti Malhotra.
Earlier, Jyoti Malhotra's lavish trips and spending disproportionate to her income had come under the police scanner. Sources have said Haryana Police may reach out to central agencies to investigate the YouTuber's money trail.
Jyoti Malhotra was arrested on May 15, a week after India carried out airstrikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 innocent lives. The YouTuber, who has four lakh subscribers, recently visited Pakistan and China and came under the radar for her lavish spending and appearances at high-profile Pakistani events.
It has now come to light that Jyoti Malhotra was guarded by men armed with AK-47s as she went around Pakistan. A Scottish YouTuber visiting Pakistan ran into her at Lahore's Anarkali Bazar and was shocked to see the security.
Callum Mill, whose YouTube channel is called Callum Abroad, visited Pakistan in March. A video he shot during a visit to Anarkali Bazar shows several people armed with guns and wearing jackets with "No Fear" written on them. Then Jyoti Malhotra, also recording the video, appears. Callum introduces himself as a Scottish YouTuber. Jyoti asks him if it was his first visit to Pakistan. To this, Callum replies, "No, five times." She also asks him if he has been to India and introduces herself as India. When Callum asks what she thinks about Pakistan's hospitality, Jyoti replies, "It's great".
As Jyoti walks on, Callum realises the armed men are with her. "She's the one with the guys, with all the security. I don't know why, what's the need for all the guns? Look at all the guns she has got surrounding her. There are six gunmen surrounding her," he says. Some other people, also looking like tourists, are seen with Jyoti Malhotra in the Scottish YouTuber's video.
Police are now investigating why Jyoti Malhotra enjoyed such VIP treatment and security in Pakistan. The armed men seen in the Anarkali Bazar video are not in uniform, but could be security personnel in plain clothes. Haryana cops are now trying to find out who had ordered the security cover for Jyoti Malhotra.
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