“Told Me She Was Going To Delhi”: Father Of ‘Spy’ YouTuber Who Visited Pak
A 33-year-old travel vlogger from Haryana, Jyoti Malhotra, was apprehended by police in Hisar on charges of espionage, accused of sharing sensitive information with Pakistani intelligence operatives. The arrest follows heightened India-Pakistan tensions sparked by the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 civilian lives, and India’s subsequent military response, Operation Sindoor, on May 7.
Malhotra, who operates the YouTube channel “Travel with JO” with 3.77 lakh subscribers, allegedly maintained contact with a Pakistani official named Ehsan-ur-Rahim, also known as Danish, stationed at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. Malhotra met Danish during a 2023 visit to the High Commission to secure a visa for Pakistan. Their communication continued, culminating in her alleged interactions with him on May 6, just before Operation Sindoor targeted terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Authorities suspect Malhotra was being groomed as a Pakistani intelligence asset. Her frequent visits to Pakistan, including a trip shortly before the Pahalgam attack, are under scrutiny. She also traveled to Pahalgam in January 2025, three months prior to the attack, raising questions about her activities. The sources noted that her income appeared disproportionate to her lavish travel, suggesting some trips may have been sponsored.
Malhotra’s father, Harish Malhotra, told that his daughter informed him she was traveling to Delhi for work, unaware of her alleged espionage activities. He mentioned she previously worked in Delhi for a company, earning Rs 20,000 monthly before the COVID-19 lockdown. Following her arrest, her Instagram account, with 1.33 lakh followers, was suspended, and her digital devices are being examined by Hisar police’s IT and cyber units.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is assisting in the probe, with Hisar Superintendent of Police Shashank Kumar Sawan confirming Malhotra’s questioning by multiple agencies. The case is part of a broader crackdown, with 11 individuals arrested across Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh for allegedly spying for Pakistan. The investigation continues to explore Malhotra’s connections, including her association with a man linked to a viral cake delivery to the Pakistan High Commission post-Pahalgam attack.