 "Priyanka Senapati, a resident of Puri and currently a student, is believed to have shared a close bond with Malhotra. She had reportedly accompanied her on multiple trips, including a visit to Pahalgam, just days before the horrifying terror attacks rocked the region. Image courtesy: X")
A fresh twist has emerged in the ongoing investigation into ‘spy’ YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, as police have now turned their attention to another content creator—Odisha-based travel vlogger Priyanka Senapati.
The 21-year-old, a resident of Puri and currently a student, is believed to have shared a close bond with Malhotra. She had reportedly accompanied her on multiple trips, including a visit to Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, just months before the horrifying terror attacks rocked the region.
In the last three days, Senapati has undergone multiple rounds of intense questioning. Officials from the Intelligence Bureau, Odisha Police, and the state’s forensic teams are trying to uncover the depth of her involvement with Malhotra , who was arrested last week from Haryana on serious charges of spying for Pakistan.
So, who exactly is Priyanka Senapati? What is her connection with Jyoti Malhotra’s case? Here’s what we know so far
Big admirer of Jyoti, wanted to be popular like her: Senpati
According to a report by The New Indian Express, Senapati has reportedly told investigators that she was a huge admirer of Malhotra and aspired to become a successful social media influencer like her.
Senapati, who runs a YouTube channel called Prii_vlogs with just over 14,000 subscribers, was keen on growing her audience by associating with Malhotra, whose channel Travel with Jo had amassed over 3.87 lakh followers.
The two reportedly came in contact through YouTube last year and first connected in person during Malhotra’s visit to Puri in September. Their bond quickly grew, leading them to travel together across various destinations.
After news of Malhotra’s arrest broke, Senapati issued a clarification, stressing that she had no knowledge of the alleged activities of her “friend”.
“I was completely unaware of the serious charges against her. Had I known she was spying for an enemy country, I would have never maintained any contact with her,” she wrote.
“If any investigative agency wishes to cross-question, I would provide full cooperation. Nation is above all. Jai Hind,” she added in the same post.
As of now, Senapati is being jointly questioned by officers from the Intelligence Bureau, Odisha’s intelligence unit, and the Puri police to understand the extent of her association with Malhotra.
Priyanka’s trips with Jyoti Malhotra under scanner
The two YouTubers who had developed a closer bond travelled together to various parts of the country.
Malhotra’s social media pages feature numerous images of the two exploring places like Puri, Kashmir, and Kerala. Their travel history has now come under scrutiny, especially in light of Malhotra’s recent arrest.
Back in September last year, during Malhotra visited Odisha, during which Senapati had escorted her to major landmarks like the Jagannath Temple and the Sun Temple at Konark. She also featured in her YouTube videos. The trip, however, didn’t go unnoticed.
Malhotra was briefly detained for flying a drone over the Jagannath Temple, a restricted zone. She was later released, reportedly due to Senapati’s intervention, who is said to have helped her gain access to sensitive locations, as per a Deccan Chronicle report.
Authorities are also examining the Jagannath Bhakt Niwas guest house, where Malhotra had stayed during that visit. The property’s manager confirmed she arrived at the accommodation with another woman and stayed for a day, NDTV reports.
Police are currently attempting to retrace Malhotra’s activities during her time in Puri and determine whether she came into contact with any suspicious individuals.
Senapati’s Kartarpur visit in Pakistan faces scrutiny
Separately, another trip that has raised serious concerns is Senapati’s visit to Pakistan via the Kartarpur Corridor . On March 25, she uploaded a vlog titled “Odia Girl in Pakistan | Kartarpur Corridor Guide | Odia Vlog” on her YouTube channel.
While her father insists that the trip was routine and undertaken with proper documentation, authorities are closely analysing whether the visit, especially to such a strategically sensitive location, was simply for content creation or linked to something more organised.
“We are looking into the woman’s visits to different locations and the financial transactions connected to those trips,” Puri Superintendent of Police Vinit Agrawal told The Hindu. “As per our current information, she had undertaken a one-day trip to Pakistan. We are examining the purpose of that visit. Coordination is underway with both state and central agencies, as well as with the Haryana police,” he added.
Though Senapati has not been arrested and no direct evidence has surfaced against her so far, she remains under surveillance at her family home in Puri. Her family has extended full cooperation, handing over her digital devices and financial records to the authorities.
Meanwhile, Senapati’s online presence appears to be shrinking—comments on her videos have been disabled, several uploads have been removed, and her activity on social media has notably declined as she made her account private.
With input from agencies