Who is Jyoti Malhotra? Vlogger with lakh-plus followers arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan

Travel vlogger Jyoti Malhotra, with over 13 lakh Instagram followers, has been arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan. She shared sensitive info, praised Pakistan online, and attended events at the Pakistan High Commission.

New Delhi: Jyoti Malhotra, a well-known travel vlogger from Haryana with a strong social media following, has been arrested by Indian authorities on charges of spying in a case that has shocked the influencer community. Malhotra, who runs the YouTube channel ‘Travel With Jo’ and boasts over 3.2 lakh subscribers on YouTube and 13.4 lakh followers on Instagram, is accused of spying for Pakistan and passing on sensitive information to its intelligence agencies.

The arrest came after a larger investigation into espionage activities linked to Pakistan, following recent arrests in Punjab. Jyoti Malhotra was reportedly in constant contact with Pakistani intelligence handlers and had developed personal relationships with key operatives, including one identified as Ehsan-ur-Rahim, alias Danish, who was recently expelled from India.

According to DSP Kamaljit Singh, who is heading the investigation, Malhotra used encrypted messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat to communicate with her contacts across the border. She allegedly received support from Pakistani officials for travel arrangements, visa extensions, and accommodations during at least four visits to Pakistan. Authorities say she also visited Bali with one of the operatives, whose number she had saved under the alias “Jatt Randhawa”.

Among the evidence under scrutiny are her devices and bank transactions, which investigators believe could reveal the full extent of the espionage network. In one of her pinned Instagram posts, she praised Lahore as the “cultural heart of Pakistan”. She also attended an iftar party at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi and regularly posted positive narratives about Pakistan, raising further suspicion.

She has been charged under Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act and Section 153 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which pertain to acts endangering national security and promoting enmity. Police officials say her operations were largely based out of Delhi, despite her being a native of Hisar.

Jyoti Malhotra was presented in court on Saturday and has been remanded to five days in police custody for further interrogation. Authorities continue to investigate whether she was part of a wider network aimed at influencing public opinion and collecting intelligence under the guise of travel blogging.

Her arrest follows heightened vigilance after a series of crackdowns on suspected espionage activities linked to Pakistan, with multiple arrests across Haryana and Punjab in recent weeks.