 "The clip gained attention since it features the YouTuber meeting Danish, an official at the Pakistan High Commission, along with a few other officials. Image: News18")
Travel YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra has been in the spotlight after she was arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan and passing on sensitive information about India during Operation Sindoor.
One of her videos , which shows a visit to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, is now being widely shared on social media.
The clip gained attention since it features the YouTuber meeting Danish, an official at the Pakistan High Commission, along with a few other officials.
ALSO READ | YouTuber, student and more: Who are the ‘Pakistani spies’ arrested in India?
Notably, Danish was expelled by India earlier this month after he was found to be involved in actions that went against diplomatic rules, especially linked to an intelligence leak in Punjab.
In this explainer, we look at who Danish is, what the video filmed at the Pakistan High Commission shows, and what more is known about the case so far.
Let’s take a look:
Who is Danish?
Danish, alias Ehsan-ur-Rahim, was declared persona non grata for carrying out activities that did not match his official status in India.
“The Government of India has declared a Pakistani official, working at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, persona non grata for engaging in activities inconsistent with his official status in India. The official has been asked to leave India within 24 hours,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.
It has been claimed that this staffer is the same person Jyoti met.
Jyoti first came into contact with Danish during a visit to the Pakistan High Commission in 2023, where he helped her with her visa extension and arranged a homestay.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAccording to The Times of India, Danish, who was expelled on May 13 this year, also allegedly introduced her to certain handlers, including two men named Shakir and Rana Shahbaz.
What Jyoti’s video shows about alleged ties with Danish
One name that stands out in Jyoti Malhotra’s videos from the Pakistan High Commission is Danish.
The video, shared on her YouTube channel ‘Travel With Jo’, caught the attention of social media users as it shows Malhotra meeting Danish along with a few other officials.
Malhotra is also seen meeting Rahim’s wife, and from their exchange, it appears they have known each other for a while and have met on several occasions.
The video, uploaded on March 30 last year, opens with Malhotra saying she was invited to an Iftar party. She then enters the High Commission and describes the decorations as “superb”.
She greets Danish, asks how he is, and says she is happy to see him. A man, whose face is not visible but is believed to be Rahim, introduces her to others and mentions that she runs the ‘Travel With Jo’ YouTube channel.
Talking to her viewers in a mix of Hindi and English, Malhotra says, “I am mesmerised. I have no words. I am excited, super duper excited.”
Jyoti’s meeting with Danish’s wife, other officials
Danish introduces Malhotra to his wife, and they exchange greetings. He then talks to the YouTuber about Pakistan Day.
“I am very happy after getting such a big welcome and these arrangements,” Malhotra says. Rahim replies, “This is what Pakistanis are like.”
Malhotra invites Rahim and his wife to her home in Hisar, Haryana. “You should come and experience the hospitality in our village. It’s very similar,” she tells them.
She then goes around speaking to other guests, asking if they have visited Pakistan. When they say yes, she responds, “I’d like to go too.” She tells another YouTuber, “Hopefully I’ll get a visa and we can go together.”
Malhotra also speaks to some Chinese officials, asking them for a visa. “Give me a visa!” she told them.
She meets Rahim again and says that he looks quite busy attending to everyone at the dinner.
Later, she speaks to another Pakistani official, mentioning that he manages everything at the embassy.
“Every time I’ve come here, three or four times now, he’s taken down my details and asked me to leave my phone and things outside. He is a very nice man,” she says.
She also asks a newly joined Pakistani official for a visa, saying, “Do give me a visa this time.”
Malhotra praises the food and the arrangements, and before leaving, she speaks to Rahim again and tells him how pleased she was to be invited.
Jyoti Malhotra’s arrest
The YouTuber was taken into custody by Civil Lines police in Haryana and charged under the Official Secrets Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. A local court sent her to five days of police custody.
Her arrest came a week after the ceasefire between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor, which was launched in response to the terror attack in Pahalgam.
Jyoti ran a YouTube channel named “Travel with Joe,” which has over 3.2 lakh subscribers. She also has a large following on Instagram (@travelwithjo1) with 1.37 lakh followers, along with active accounts on Facebook and Snapchat.
Her posts show she enjoys biking and solo travel. She has explored several places across India and other parts of Asia, including Pakistan, Bhutan, Indonesia, and China.
She has visited Pakistan twice. Her first trip was in 2023, for which she got her visa through commission agents.
She returned to Pakistan two months ago and posted several videos and reels from her journey, including visits to Lahore’s Anarkali Bazaar, the Katas Raj Temple Complex in Punjab, and a cross-country bus ride.
Police say Malhotra was in regular contact with Pakistani intelligence officers and passed on sensitive information using WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat. It is also claimed that she was told by her handlers to promote a positive image of Pakistan through her content.
“She has confessed to her role. Her travel history includes four visits to Pakistan, and she maintained encrypted communication with handlers on WhatsApp, Telegram and Snapchat,” DSP Kamaljit Singh was quoted as saying by The Economic Times.
With inputs from agencies