As part of Operation Sindoor, Indian authorities have arrested six individuals, including Haryana-based travel vlogger Jyoti Malhotra, over allegations of spying for Pakistan. According to India Today, the arrested individuals are accused of functioning as agents, informants, and financial links within a network spread across Haryana and Punjab.
Jyoti Malhotra, who runs the YouTube channel Travel with Jo, allegedly traveled to Pakistan in 2023 using a visa facilitated by commission agents. During her visit, she reportedly developed ties with Ehsan-ur-Rahim, also known as Danish—a staff member at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.
After returning to India, officials claim she continued to maintain contact with multiple Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs) through encrypted apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat. One operative, known as Shakir alias Rana Shahbaz, was allegedly saved in her contacts under the name “Jatt Randhawa.”
Investigators accuse Malhotra of sharing sensitive, location-specific information related to Indian territories. Authorities also allege she promoted a favorable image of Pakistan on social media and entered into an intimate relationship with a PIO, even traveling to Bali, Indonesia with him.
DSP Kamaljeet, speaking to ANI, confirmed her arrest under the Official Secrets Act and Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). He added that suspicious material was recovered from her mobile phone and laptop. Malhotra is currently on five-day police remand, with further investigation ongoing.
