In a high-profile arrest that has sparked nationwide attention, Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra has been taken into custody on charges of espionage, with police officials revealing disturbing details about her alleged connections with Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs).
Malhotra, 33, who runs a popular YouTube channel titled “Travel with JO” with over 3.8 lakh subscribers, was arrested from New Aggarsain Extension in Hisar, Haryana.
The arrest was made public on Saturday by Hisar Superintendent of Police (SP) Shashank Kumar Sawan, who said that Pakistani intelligence agencies were grooming her as a long-term strategic asset in their broader social media influence operations.
Influencer Turned Asset?
According to SP Sawan, though Malhotra did not have direct access to sensitive military intelligence, her growing network among fellow content creators made her a potential vehicle for “narrative warfare.” Her ability to influence public opinion through social media positioned her as a valuable asset in the eyes of Pakistan’s intelligence apparatus.
“There’s no doubt they were grooming her,” SP Sawan told PTI. “She was in consistent contact with other YouTube influencers who, in turn, were also reportedly interacting with Pakistani intelligence operatives.”
Ties to Expelled Diplomat and Cross-Border Travel
The police investigation revealed that Malhotra had been in communication with a Pakistani official posted at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi during the heightened military tensions between India and Pakistan, which followed the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.
The same Pakistani official was later declared persona non grata by the Indian government and expelled from the country.
Records show that Malhotra had previously traveled to Pakistan several times, as well as made one trip to China. Her interactions reportedly intensified in 2023, when she applied for a visa to Pakistan.
During that process, she is believed to have come into contact with Ehsan-ur-Rahim, also known by the alias Danish, a key figure at the High Commission, and his associate Ali Ahwan, who allegedly arranged her stay and movements in the country.
A Wider Strategy of Digital Influence
Police officials claim Malhotra’s case is part of a larger pattern of Pakistani efforts to recruit Indian social media influencers as tools of psychological and narrative manipulation.
These operations aim to subtly shape public discourse and undermine national sentiment, often without the recruited individuals fully understanding the larger geopolitical motives behind their engagement.
“This is a new form of warfare,” SP Sawan explained. “Instead of guns, they use information and perception, targeting the minds of citizens by exploiting the reach and credibility of influencers.”
Legal Action and Ongoing Investigation
Jyoti Malhotra has been booked under the Official Secrets Act and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). She is currently under a five-day police remand, during which investigators are closely examining her electronic devices, bank records, and travel documents.
Authorities have also brought in forensic experts to determine whether any classified or sensitive information was transferred to foreign handlers. The police are not ruling out further arrests, as they suspect other influencers in her network may also have been compromised.
The case has sent shockwaves through both digital creator circles and the wider public, highlighting the growing risks posed by the weaponization of social media in cross-border espionage and psychological warfare.