Indian authorities have taken into custody Jyoti Malhotra, a well-known YouTuber and travel content creator from Haryana, on serious accusations of espionage and alleged connections with Pakistan’s intelligence network.
Herarrest was confirmed by the police in Haryana and took place during a period of increased military friction between India and Pakistan earlier this month.
According to officials, Malhotra had made several trips to Pakistan, the most recent being in March 2025. She is also suspected of being in regular contact with Ahsan-ur-Rahim, an official formerly stationed at the Pakistan High Commission who was expelled from India on May 13 due to allegations of espionage.
Superintendent of Police in Hisar, Shashank Kumar Sawan, informed reporters that Malhotra had maintained ongoing communication with suspected Pakistani intelligence contacts. Investigators also believe her visits to Pakistan were financed and might be linked to a broader espionage ring.
Additionally, she is being probed for any possible involvement in the recent deadly attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian-administered Kashmir, which claimed the lives of multiple tourists.
Malhotra’s father has rejected the claims, stating that all her visits to Pakistan were legal and approved through the appropriate visa process.
“She is not a spy. She is a travel vlogger who documented her experiences,” he said.
On her online platforms, Malhotra refers to herself as a “modern girl with old ideas.” She has amassed a significant following, with 377,000 subscribers on YouTube and over 133,000 followers on Instagram, where she documents her travel experiences across India and internationally. Her destinations have included countries like Bangladesh, China, Thailand, the UAE, and Indonesia.
Despite her online popularity, investigators have expressed concerns about the funding behind her frequent overseas trips, noting a possible mismatch between her lifestyle and her declared sources of income.
Officials claim that Malhotra came into contact with Ahsan-ur-Rahim in 2023, during a visit to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi while applying for a visa.
Her most recent Pakistan-related video, uploaded in March, features her attending a Ramadan event at the High Commission. Other content on her channel shows her exploring places of worship such as Hindu and Sikh temples, shopping in Pakistani markets, and engaging with local residents.
Her detention occurred shortly after a diplomatic confrontation between India and Pakistan, during which both governments expelled embassy personnel amid mutual accusations of spying and misconduct.
Such arrests on espionage grounds are a recurring issue between the two neighboring countries.
On 7 May, India launched airstrikes targeting what it described as “terror infrastructure” inside Pakistani territory, citing retaliation for the deadly Pahalgam incident. Pakistan denied any role in the attack, and following several days of cross-border conflict, a ceasefire was mediated by U.S. President Donald Trump on 10 May.
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