Who is Jyoti Malhotra? Haryana-based YouTuber among five arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan

Days after the Operation Sindoor, the Indian authorities have arrested six Indian nationals — including a Haryana-based travel blogger Jyoti Malhotra — for allegedly passing sensitive information to Pakistani operatives, reported India Today on Saturday.

According to the report, these key operatives acted as agents, financial conduits, and informants and had networks in Haryana and Punjab.

Authorities revealed that the accused Jyoti, who ran the YouTube channel "Travel with Jo", had visited Pakistan in 2023 after acquiring a visa through commission agents. She even developed close ties with Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, a staff member at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi during her trip.

The Indian authorities suspect that Danish, declared persona non grata by the government and expelled on 13 May 2025, allegedly introduced Jyoti to multiple Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs).

Jyoti allegedly remained in touch with operatives, including Shakir alias Rana Shahbaz, whose number she saved as “Jatt Randhawa” through encrypted platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat, alleged the officials.

Officials also claim that Jyoti allegedly shared sensitive information which concerned Indian locations. She even actively used to project a positive image of Pakistan on social media.

Among other details, Jyoti also entered into an intimate relationship with a PIO and even travelled to Bali, Indonesia with him.

Speaking to media, DSP Kamaljeet said, as quoted by ANI, “Yesterday, based on inputs that we had, we arrested Jyoti, daughter of Haris Kumar, under the Official Secret Act and BNS 152. We have received some suspicious things after we recovered her mobile and laptop. We have taken her on a 5-day remand, and further investigation is on. She was in continuous contact with a Pakistani citizen.”

She has been charged under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923. Apart from this a written confession has been obtained from her, and the case has been handed over to the Hisar's Economic Offences Wing.

Other accused arrested:

Another key accused is 32-year-old widow from Punjab's Malerkotla, Guzala, who visited the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi to apply for a visa on 27 February 2025.

Danish used to chat with Guzala over Telegram after gaining her trust by promising marriage as he initiated a romantic relationship through chats and video calls.

The India Today report claimed that Danish started sending money to Guzala — ₹10,000 on March 7 via the payment app, PhonePe, and ₹20,000 on March 23 via another payment app, Google Pay. Later he instructed her to divert ₹10,000 to specific recipients in parts: ₹1,800, ₹899, ₹699, and ₹3,000.

Accompanied by her friend Banu Nasreena, another widow from Malerkotla, Guzala returned to the Pakistan High Commission on 23 April. Their visa were again facilitated by Danish and issued on the next day.

The fourth person arrested by the authorities is Yameen Mohd from Malerkotla (a financial dealer with Danish), Devinder Singh Dhillon from Haryana's Kaithal (who sent videos of Patiala cantonment), and Arman from Haryana's Nuh (who supplied Indian SIM cards and visited the Defence Expo 2025 on instructions from PIOs).

India Today, quoting the officials, reported that the case is part of a larger espionage operation that targets people through emotional connections, monetary gifts, and fake promises of marriage. Further investigations are underway.

With agency inputs.