Haryana YouTuber was allegedly aiding Pak's ISI to track undercover Indian agents: Sources

Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra is under investigation for suspected links to Pakistan's ISI, involving coded conversations about identifying Indian undercover agents. 

Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who is currently in five-day police custody, is suspected of working with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to identify Indian undercover agents.

Malhotra is being interrogated by a joint team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Intelligence Bureau (IB), and Haryana Police. Investigators have uncovered WhatsApp chats between Malhotra and an ISI handler named Ali Hasan, featuring coded conversations related to India's undercover operations.

In one of the messages, Hasan asked Malhotra if she noticed any undercover agents receiving special protocol during her visit to the Attari border. Malhotra's dismissive response and Hasan's subsequent hint about observing protocol to spot undercover agents have raised concerns among investigators.

Agencies are now working to determine whether Malhotra knowingly assisted the ISI in its attempts to expose Indian intelligence agents or was being manipulated as part of a broader espionage network. Malhotra's contacts with Pakistani officials, including Ehsan Dar alias Danish, a Pakistani High Commission official declared persona non grata by India, have deepened suspicion of her activities. Jyoti Malhotra's first visit to Pakistan was in 2023 during the 324th Vaisakhi Festival.

Malhotra's alleged involvement in cross-border influence operations and her evasive responses during questioning have led investigators to believe she may be part of a larger spy ring or influence campaign orchestrated by Pakistan. The YouTuber was known for her travel videos and recently made headlines after she blamed Indian security agencies after Pahalgam terror attack.