Six Indian nationals, including a Haryana-based travel vlogger, have been arrested for allegedly passing sensitive information to Pakistani operatives, according to reports.
The network, investigators say, operated across Haryana and Punjab, with individuals acting as agents, financial conduits and informants.
One of the key accused is Jyoti Malhotra, who ran the YouTube channel Travel with Jo.
According to information accessed by online portals, authorities said she visited Pakistan in 2023 after securing a visa through commission agents. During the visit, she developed close ties with Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, a staffer at the Pakistan High Commission (PHC) in New Delhi.
Danish was declared persona non grata by the Indian government and expelled on May 13, 2025.
Investigators allege that he introduced Jyoti to multiple Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs). Communication between them continued on encrypted platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram and Snapchat.
Among those she allegedly stayed in contact with was Shakir alias Rana Shahbaz, whose number she had saved as “Jatt Randhawa.”
According to reports, officials claim Jyoti shared information about Indian locations and helped promote a positive image of Pakistan on her social media platforms. She is also believed to have had an intimate relationship with a PIO and travelled with him to Bali, Indonesia. Her continued coordination with Danish while he was posted in Delhi further raised concerns.
Jyoti has been charged under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923. A written confession has been recorded, and the case is now being handled by the Economic Offences Wing in Hisar.
The arrest has triggered reactions online.
Entrepreneur Divya Gandotra Tandon posted on X, "Desh ke Gaddaro ko… No mercy for this vile woman, Jyoti Malhotra… she deserves to rot in jail for the rest of her life."
Youtuber Ishkaran Singh Bhandari said, "Jyoti Malhotra, Indian Travel Vlogger, around 4 lakh YouTube Subscribers, 1 lakh plus Insta followers caught spying for Pakistan. She had visited Pakistan & made videos from there. Many Pakistani Friends. Various ways they trap or induce. So many internal dangers in Bharat."
Another X user wrote, "YouTuber influencer Jyoti Malhotra(travelwithjo1) has been arrested for spying for ISI. Her Insta & YouTube profile is full of Pakistan visits in the name of Sikh Pilgrimage, Hindu Pilgrimage etc. I always wondered how she gets Pak Visa so easily. Now we know the answer."