Punjab YouTuber Detained Over Suspected Espionage for Pakistan’s ISI

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Police have apprehended a YouTuber from Rupnagar’s Village Mahlan, identified as Jasbir Singh, on charges of espionage linked to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The arrest, executed by the Counter Intelligence wing in collaboration with Rupnagar Police, follows a broader crackdown on a suspected ISI-backed spy network in northern India.

Jasbir Singh, who operates the YouTube channel “Jaan Mahal,” allegedly maintained contact with an ISI operative known as Shakir, alias Jutt Randhawa. Authorities claim Singh visited Pakistan three times, including an appearance at the Pakistan National Day event at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. During India’s Operation Sindoor, a military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, Singh is accused of sharing sensitive information with ISI operatives. The operation was launched after the attack, which India attributed to Pakistan-supported groups, a claim Islamabad has denied.

Following the arrest of another YouTuber, Jyoti Malhotra, on similar charges, Singh reportedly attempted to erase digital evidence. Police recovered incriminating material from his mobile phone, including details of communications with ISI contacts. A forensic analysis of his devices is underway to uncover further evidence, with ongoing investigations into his financial transactions to trace potential payments from ISI operatives. Punjab Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) under the Official Secrets Act, and Singh is now in custody as the probe continues.