New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) are intensifying their investigation into Jyoti Malhotra, a Haryana-based YouTuber arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan. Known for her travel vlog “Travel with Jo,” Malhotra is under scrutiny for her suspected ties to Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs). Her arrest has sparked significant attention, with authorities examining her travel history and communications.
Haryana Police recently recovered two pages from Malhotra’s diary, offering a glimpse into her experiences during a 10-day trip to Pakistan. In an undated entry, she wrote about returning to India after the journey, describing it as “crazy and colourful.” She expressed admiration for the hospitality extended by Pakistani locals, noting a warm welcome from a couple, Rahim and his wife, whom she appeared to know previously. Malhotra invited them to her home in Hisar, Haryana, highlighting similarities in hospitality between the two cultures.
The diary also contained a plea to Pakistani authorities to preserve temples and facilitate visits for Indians seeking to reconnect with family members separated since the 1947 partition. Malhotra’s YouTube channel, boasting over 377,000 subscribers, features videos like “Indian Girl in Pakistan” and “Indian Girl Exploring Lahore,” documenting her travels, including multiple trips to Pakistan, one of which occurred just before the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack.
Malhotra faces charges under Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Authorities allege she used platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat to share sensitive information with Pakistani operatives. Her mobile phone and electronic devices are undergoing forensic analysis, and her bank accounts and travel records spanning eight countries between 2023 and 2025 are under investigation.
The probe has uncovered Malhotra’s interactions with Ehsan-ur-Rahim, alias Danish, a former Pakistan High Commission staffer expelled from India on May 13, 2025, for espionage. A video from her Instagram shows her attending an Iftar dinner at the High Commission in 2024, where Danish introduced her to other guests. This connection has raised concerns about her role in a broader espionage network across northern India, with 11 others arrested in recent weeks.
As the investigation continues, Malhotra’s diary entries and digital footprint remain critical to understanding her activities and connections, shedding light on a case that has heightened tensions amid ongoing India-Pakistan relations.