Jyoti Malhotra arrested for spying: In a startling twist to the ongoing Pakistani espionage investigation, Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra has reportedly confessed to being in touch with three Pakistani intelligence handlers — and remains unrepentant. Sources close to the probe say Malhotra, who was recently arrested for allegedly leaking sensitive information to Pakistan, made the disclosure during a high-level police interrogation.
“I have no regrets”
Despite facing serious charges under the Official Secrets Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Malhotra appeared calm during questioning and showed no remorse. “I have no regrets,” she reportedly told investigators, even as details of her links to Pakistani operatives emerged.
An official involved in the investigation stated, “Jyoti feels she did not commit any mistake. She believes what she did was justified.”
Malhotra, 33, is among 11 individuals arrested across Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh in connection with a suspected Pakistan-backed spy network believed to be operating in North India. She ran a travel YouTube channel called Travel with JO, which has over 400,000 subscribers.
Active communication with Pak intel officers
Security agencies revealed that Malhotra was in contact with three Pakistani intelligence officers — particularly during sensitive periods when mobile networks and internet services were suspended due to security alerts. “She was actively communicating with handlers from Pakistan even when there was a communication blackout,” said a senior intelligence source.
Officials are probing whether this was part of a larger strategy to evade surveillance and ensure uninterrupted communication with her foreign contacts.
Jyoti’s Kashmir visit under scanner
Authorities are also investigating Malhotra’s recent trip to Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir — a region that has witnessed heightened tensions in recent months. The visit occurred around three months ago, just ahead of the April 22 terror attack in the area.
“We are examining whether this trip had a link to her espionage activities or whether any data was collected or passed on during that time,” a police officer said.
Pak spy ring
Malhotra came under scrutiny after her association with Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, a Pakistani national stationed at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. She reportedly met Danish while applying for a visa in 2023. He allegedly introduced her to another handler, who facilitated her contact with Pakistani intelligence.
Danish was expelled from India on May 13 on charges of espionage. Malhotra was arrested three days later from the New Aggarsain Extension area in Hisar.
She is currently in a five-day police remand, during which a joint team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Intelligence Bureau (IB), and Haryana Police is conducting detailed interrogations. Investigators are examining her electronic devices, financial records, and travel history for further leads.