Haryana-Based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra Among 6 Arrested for Spying for Pakistan
The espionage network, spread across Haryana and Punjab, involved a combination of informants, financial conduits, and agents working under the direction of Pakistani handlers.
In a major intelligence breakthrough, six Indian nationals — including a popular travel vlogger and a Punjab-based widow — have been arrested for allegedly leaking sensitive information to Pakistani intelligence operatives. The espionage network, spread across Haryana and Punjab, involved a combination of informants, financial conduits, and agents working under the direction of Pakistani handlers.
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Travel Vlogger Jyoti Malhotra at the Centre of Espionage Ring
One of the key accused is Jyoti Malhotra, a travel blogger from Haryana who runs the YouTube channel “Travel with Jo.” Authorities revealed that she visited Pakistan in 2023 after obtaining a visa through commission agents. During her stay, she became closely associated with Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, a staff member at the Pakistan High Commission (PHC) in New Delhi.
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Danish, who allegedly acted as a recruiter for Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs), introduced Jyoti to several handlers. She maintained contact with them via encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat. One of her Pakistani contacts, Shakir alias Rana Shahbaz, was saved in her phone as “Jatt Randhawa.”
Investigators said she shared sensitive information about Indian locations and amplified pro-Pakistan narratives on social media. She also entered into an intimate relationship with one of the operatives and even travelled to Bali, Indonesia with him. Despite Danish’s expulsion from India on May 13, 2025, Jyoti continued coordinating with him, raising further suspicion.
Official Charges Against Jyoti Malhotra
Jyoti has been booked under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923. A written confession has been secured, and the case has been transferred to the Economic Offences Wing, Hisar for further investigation.
Widow from Malerkotla Lured with Promise of Marriage
Another prime accused is Guzala, a 32-year-old widow from Malerkotla, Punjab. She visited the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi on February 27, 2025, to apply for a visa, where she met Danish. The two began communicating regularly.
Danish convinced her to switch to Telegram, citing better security, and soon built a romantic relationship through chats and video calls. He promised marriage, gaining her emotional trust, and started sending her money.
On March 7, he sent her ₹10,000 via PhonePe, and on March 23, another ₹20,000 via Google Pay. He then instructed her to redistribute ₹10,000 to various accounts in specific amounts — ₹1,800, ₹899, ₹699, and ₹3,000 — indicating her role in financial distribution for the spy network.
PHC Staffer Danish Declared Persona Non Grata, Expelled
Following the revelations, the Indian government declared Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish persona non grata and expelled him from India. Danish is believed to be a key link between the PHC and Pakistani intelligence networks operating in India under diplomatic cover.
Espionage Network Busted Amid Growing Indo-Pak Tensions
The arrest of these individuals comes at a time of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, with increased scrutiny on espionage and subversive activities. The case underscores the growing use of emotional and financial manipulation by foreign operatives to extract classified information.
Further investigations are ongoing, and authorities are working to trace digital communications, financial trails, and any possible connections to other sleeper cells across northern India.
