Punjab YouTuber tried to erase traces of his links with Pakistanis after Jyoti Malhotra's arrest: Top cop

A Punjab-based YouTuber, identified as Jasbir Singh, who maintained close contact with Haryana-based influencer Jyoti Malhotra and Pakistan-based intelligence operatives was arrested on Wednesday, June 4. With this arrest, Punjab police said it has unearthed a terror-linked espionage network.

According to Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, Jasbir Singh tried to erase all traces of his links with the Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs) after the arrest of Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra.

A resident of Village Mahlan in Rupnagar district, Jasbir Singh operates a YouTube channel ‘Jaan Mahal’ and was in close contact with Jyoti Malhotra.

“Jasbir Singh, who operates a YouTube channel called 'Jaan Mahal', has been found associated with PIO Shakir alias Jutt Randhawa, part of a terror-backed espionage network,” he said in a post on X.

He also maintained contact with Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, a Pakistani national who was expelled as an official of the Pakistan High Commission, Yadav posted.

"After Jyoti Malhotra’s arrest, Jasbir attempted to erase all traces of his communications with these PIOs to avoid detection. An FIR has been registered at SSOC, Mohali. Investigations are underway to dismantle the broader espionage-terror network and identify all collaborators,” the top cop said.

About Jyoti Malhotra

Jyoti Malhotra is a 33-year-old Hisar native Malhotra, running a YouTube channel ‘Travel with JO’. She was arrested last month on charges of spying for Pakistan.

On May 13, India expelled Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, who was posted at the Pakistan High Commission, for allegedly indulging in espionage.

The action on spy networks within the country comes in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead and the four-day military conflict with Pakistan that followed.

(With agency inputs)