Puri police have interrogated YouTuber Priyanka Senapati over her connection with Jyoti Malhotra, a YouTuber from Haryana who was arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan.
While Priyanka has not been arrested, the police are probing whether she was directly involved or inadvertently became part of the suspected espionage chain.
Superintendent of police (SP) Vinit Agrawal told The Telegraph: “We are in touch with central agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau. No one from these agencies has come to Puri yet. It is we who have interrogated the woman. She is cooperating in the probe. As the investigation is ongoing, we cannot disclose much at this stage. We are conducting all kinds of verifications and coordinating with central and state agencies, as well as the Haryana police. Jyoti visited Puri last year.”
The investigation revealed that Jyoti Malhotra had visited Puri in September 2024. “She stayed in Puri for several days. Whether she was staying near the sea or the shrine is still under investigation. Once it is completed, we will inform the media,” said the SP.
During her stay, Jyoti had reportedly taken photographs and recorded videos in and around the Jagannath Temple and other key locations, which has now become a matter of concern for the investigating agencies. Security officials fear that sensitive visuals and geographical data of strategically important areas might have been leaked to Pakistani agencies. “We are looking into the matter. If necessary, we will seek help from cyber agencies,” the SP added.
Police are also questioning Priyanka regarding her visit to Kerala, where she had accompanied Jyoti. Sources said the YouTubers had also visited Baisaran valley together in January this year, where a terror attack killed 26 civilians on April 22.
Priyanka’s trip to Kartarpur in Pakistan four months ago has raised further concern. On March 25, she posted a video of the visit on YouTube titled “Odia Girl in Pakistan | Kartarpur Corridor Guide | Odia Vlog”. She had also travelled to Sri Lanka earlier.
Priyanka’s father, Rajkishore Senapati, told reporters in Puri: “My daughter had a professional relationship with Jyoti. During Jyoti’s visit to Puri, my daughter accompanied her to various locations... But Jyoti never visited our home.”
“My daughter developed a keen interest in YouTube and received positive responses for her videos about Puri. Four months ago, she visited the Kartarpur Corridor with all necessary permissions to make videos. She is not involved in any crime,” he added.
On Sunday, Priyanka wrote on her social media account: “Since many people are asking, let me clarify this first. Jyoti was just a friend whom I met through YouTube. I was unaware of the allegations against her. Had I known she was spying for an enemy country, I would never have associated with her. I knew her professionally as a content creator and am personally shocked to hear this. I am ready to fully cooperate with any investigative agency that wishes to question me.”
“This is a sensitive matter. Sometimes, YouTubers fall into traps lured by money and unknowingly commit offences. We must wait until the investigation is complete,” said a senior police officer.