 "'Spy' YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra was in direct contact with at least four Pakistani intelligence agents and spoke to them one-on-one. Image courtesy: YouTube/TravelwithJo")
Haryana Police is currently examining the digital trail of ‘spy’ YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra , who is currently under arrest for allegedly spying for Pakistan.
The 33-year-old travel vlogger was taken into custody earlier this month after intelligence agencies raised concerns over her frequent visits to Pakistan and her close interactions with officials from the Pakistan High Commission. She is now in 14-day judicial custody.
During the probe, police recovered a staggering 13 terabytes of data from her five mobile phones and laptop. And now, the forensic analysis of that data has unveiled some shocking revelations about her links with Pakistani intelligence operatives.
Here’s what’s come to light so far.
Did Jyoti Malhotra have links with Pakistan’s ISI?
According to a report by NDTV, Malhotra knew that the Pakistani officials she was in touch with worked with Inter-Services Intelligence, Pakistan’s notorious spy agency. Yet, she showed no hesitation or fear while engaging with them.
Sources told the outlet that Malhotra was in direct contact with at least four Pakistani intelligence agents and spoke to them one-on-one. These contacts reportedly included individuals named Danish, Ahsan, and Shahid.
The Pakistani operatives reportedly provided her with “special treatment” during her visit to Pakistan, a senior police official told the Hindustan Times, further saying that she was fully aware of their positions, including involvement in intelligence.
Authorities are now working to identify the exact designations and roles these Pakistani agents held within the country’s security establishment.
Following her arrest, Malhotra reportedly admitted that she had been in touch with a Pakistani officer named Ehsan-ur-Rahim, also known as Danish. She had first met him at the Pakistan High Commission while applying for a visa to visit the country.
Danish was expelled by India earlier this month. He was declared persona non grata after being linked to intelligence leaks in Punjab and engaging in activities that violated diplomatic protocols.
Besides Danish, NDTV sources had earlier revealed that Malhotra was in frequent contact with Ali Hasan, a handler working for ISI. Officials said the two were in regular communication, with investigators trying to retrieve WhatsApp chats between them.
In one such message, Malhotra had reportedly told Hasan, “Get me married in Pakistan,” indicating a possible emotional connection with him and Islamabad.
Heavy security accompanied Malhotra during Pakistan visit
In one of her two-month-old videos uploaded on her YouTube channel Travel with Jo, Jyoti Malhotra can be seen under unusually tight security during her visit to Pakistan.
Throughout the video, armed men carrying AK-47 rifles shadow her movements, escorting her wherever she goes.
While en route to the Valmiki Mandir in Lahore, Malhotra is seen conversing with a security officer, who remarks, “A special door at Shahi Qila (Lahore Fort) was opened for you. It is the oldest door there. Now that you are here, do visit Anarkali Bazar (also in Lahore).”
As she approached the temple, the streets were heavily manned with security forces dressed in green and black jackets. At one point, some personnel appeared to block off traffic on one end of the road—something Malhotra herself described as a “chakka jam.” Vehicles stopped to allow her to cross.
Interestingly, the same guards—some wearing ‘No Fear’ jackets—also made an appearance in a video by Scottish YouTuber Callum Mills. In the clip, Mills expressed shock at seeing the heavy security detail around Malhotra in Anarkali Bazar.
“Look at all the guns she has got surrounding her. There’s about six gunmen surrounding her,” he said, adding that such a presence made the area appear unsafe.
The kind of security Malhotra received has now come under scrutiny. Haryana Police are investigating who authorised the armed protection, especially since the men in the Anarkali footage weren’t in uniform and may have been plainclothes officers.
Earlier, authorities raised concerns over how she financed these trips, indicating that they may have been sponsored.
“Her known income sources do not justify her foreign travel. We suspect external funding. On the surface, she was just a travel blogger,” said Hisar Superintendent of Police Shashank Kumar Sawan during a press briefing.
Malhotra sent to 14-day custody
On Monday, Malhotra was sent to 14-day judicial custody in Hisar, Haryana. This comes after she had already completed a four-day police custody period, which ended the day before.
She is accused of leaking sensitive information to Pakistan, including details about nationwide power blackouts that took place during ‘Operation Sindoor.’
“She was actively communicating with handlers from Pakistan even when there was a communication blackout,” a senior intelligence source told The Financial Express. She also allegedly shared information related to the blackouts imposed across North India during the operation.
Police suspect that Malhotra was likely “developed as an asset” by Pakistani handlers. While she had no access to sensitive defence data, officials believe she was instructed to present Pakistan in a positive light through her content.
“In modern warfare, the enemy tries to set a positive narrative in its favour. The involvement of Malhotra suggests she helped them in setting narratives. This is how influencers and YouTubers are being roped in,” Sawan added.
With input from agencies