New Delhi: Jyoti Malhotra, a popular travel vlogger known for her YouTube channel ‘Travel with Jo’, has been arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan along with six others. It all started when intelligence agencies reportedly noticed a suspicious pattern in her international travel.
She visited Pakistan for 12 days in April 2024 under the pretext of exploring the country for her channel. What raised eyebrows was her subsequent trip to China just weeks later, where she was seen frequenting luxury stores and travelling in expensive vehicles – a behavior that, as per security agencies, seemed far beyond her means. It raised serious concerns among security agencies.
Following these red flags, surveillance on Malhotra intensified. Investigators, as claimed, discovered that she had obtained her Pakistani visa by visiting the country’s embassy in New Delhi, where she came into contact with a man named Danish.
Their relationship reportedly deepened over time. In 2023, she was granted a 10-day visa to Pakistan. There, she allegedly met operatives of Pakistan’s intelligence agency.
According to sources, Malhotra saved one officer’s number under a fake name – Jatt Randhawa – to conceal her connection. After returning to India, she is believed to have started transmitting sensitive information to Pakistani handlers through apps like WhatsApp, Telegram and Snapchat.
She was arrested as part of a broader crackdown by security agencies that led to the arrest of six individuals involved in the alleged spy network. Among them were Armaan from Nuh, Gazala (a widowed from Punjab’s Malerkotla), Yameen Mohammad and Devinder Singh Dhillon from Kaithal.
However, the spotlight remains firmly on Malhotra, whose fame as a YouTuber has turned this case into a national talking point.
Malhotra has been booked under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923. These sections deal with espionage, communication with foreign agents and sharing confidential government information and carry penalties ranging from three years in prison to life imprisonment.
Given the nature of the charges, her chances of early release appear slim. She has been placed on a five-day police remand, and her mobile phone, laptop and other digital devices have been seized for further investigation.
Investigators also revealed that Malhotra was tasked with presenting a favorable image of Pakistan on Indian social media platforms. She was allegedly in a close relationship with a Person of Indian Origin (PIO) agent, with whom she recently spent a week in Bali, Indonesia. These connections are being scrutinised as part of the expanding investigation.
Another aspect under review is Malhotra’s possible link to the Pahalgam massacre. She had visited the region in December-January, just before her March 2024 trip to Pakistan, prompting some to speculate whether there is a deeper connection. However, no official confirmation has been provided by agencies so far.
While the investigation continues, the case has ignited debates on whether Malhotra was a deliberate participant in espionage or if she was manipulated – possibly under the guise of a romantic or ideological connection. Some even question whether she might have been a victim of so-called “love jihad”, though authorities have not commented on this angle.
As more layers unfold, the arrest of Jyoti Malhotra highlights how digital platforms and personal networks are becoming new battlegrounds in international intelligence and how even seemingly ordinary influencers can end up at the center of high-stakes espionage operations.
