News
Indian YouTuber arrested for allegedly ‘spying’ for Pakistan
Indian authorities have arrested popular travel influencer Jyoti Malhotra on charges of alleged espionage for Pakistan, sparking controversy and raising questions about cross-border activities disguised as social media content.
Hisar, Haryana | May 21, 2025 — Indian authorities have arrested popular travel influencer Jyoti Malhotra on charges of alleged espionage for Pakistan, sparking controversy and raising questions about cross-border activities disguised as social media content.
📹 Who is Jyoti Malhotra?
Malhotra, who hails from Haryana, is a well-known travel vlogger with 377,000 YouTube subscribers and 133,000 Instagram followers. She describes herself as a “modern girl with old ideas” and has documented travels across Bangladesh, China, UAE, Indonesia, Thailand, and various regions of India and Pakistan.
🔍 Why Was She Arrested?
Police allege:
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She had repeated interactions with Pakistani intelligence operatives.
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She was in continuous contact with a Pakistani national.
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Her last trip to Pakistan was in March 2025.
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She was seen attending a Ramadan dinner at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi in her final YouTube upload related to Pakistan.
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Her source of funding for frequent international travel remains unexplained and inconsistent with her known income.
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She is also being investigated for possible links to the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack, though she had no known access to sensitive defense information.
🧾 Background and Diplomatic Fallout
According to police:
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Ms. Malhotra first met Ahsan-ur-Rahim, a Pakistani High Commission official, in 2023 while applying for a visa.
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Rahim was expelled from India on 13 May over espionage allegations.
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In a reciprocal move, Pakistan expelled an Indian embassy official in Islamabad.
Her father has strongly denied all allegations, stating that she traveled to Pakistan with proper permissions and purely for cultural exploration.
🔥 Tensions Context
The arrest follows a surge in Indo-Pak military tensions earlier this month:
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On 7 May, India launched strikes on alleged terror camps in Pakistan after the Pahalgam attack in Kashmir.
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A ceasefire was reached on 10 May, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump.
📌 What’s Next?
Investigations are ongoing. Authorities suggest other individuals, possibly including Indian YouTubers, may be involved in covert collaborations or sponsored trips under scrutiny.