YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, known for her travel channel “Travel with JO,” is under intense investigation following her arrest on suspicion of espionage. Authorities have revealed that Malhotra had visited Pakistan prior to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam and had also travelled to China, raising serious concerns about potential links and the nature of her foreign travels.
Hisar Superintendent of Police (SP) Shashank Kumar Sawan disclosed in a press conference on Sunday that Malhotra had made multiple trips to Pakistan, including one just before the April 22 Pahalgam attack that claimed the lives of 26 civilians. While no direct connection has been established between her visit and the attack, the timing has prompted a thorough investigation into her activities and contacts.
Adding another layer of intrigue, SP Sawan also stated that Malhotra had travelled to China. Investigators are currently analyzing her financial transactions and travel history, noting that her known sources of income appear disproportionate to the expenses incurred during her international trips, suggesting potential external funding.
According to police reports, Malhotra allegedly came into contact with a Pakistani national, Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, an official at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi, in 2023 while applying for a visa. Despite Danish being expelled from India recently for alleged espionage, Malhotra reportedly maintained communication with him and other Pakistani intelligence operatives through encrypted messaging applications.
The First Information Report (FIR) against Malhotra indicates that she was allegedly introduced to Pakistani security and intelligence officials during her visits to Pakistan and was in contact with them via WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat. Authorities suspect that sensitive information may have been shared.
SP Sawan highlighted that Pakistani intelligence operatives were actively attempting to recruit social media influencers to promote pro-Pakistan narratives, suggesting that Malhotra may have been part of this broader strategy. He emphasized that modern warfare extends beyond physical borders, with hostile elements attempting to manipulate public opinion through such platforms.
The investigation has also extended to Odisha, where police are looking into potential links between Malhotra and a Puri-based woman YouTuber who had recently travelled to Pakistan.
Malhotra’s father, Haris Malhotra, has denied the allegations against his daughter, stating that she had obtained the necessary permissions for her travels and questioning why she couldn’t have friends across the border. He has urged the authorities to return the family’s confiscated electronic devices.
Jyoti Malhotra, who has a significant online presence with over 377,000 subscribers on YouTube and 133,000 followers on Instagram, is currently in five-day police custody. Authorities are meticulously examining her communications, financial records, and the purpose behind her visits to Pakistan and China as they work to uncover the full extent of her involvement and potential connections to anti-national activities.