YouTuber Arrested for Espionage: Diary Reveals &lsquo;Crazy&rsquo; Pakistan Ties, NIA and IB Probe Deeper
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A popular travel vlogger, adored by her fans and known for her admiration of Pakistan, has landed in serious legal trouble. Jyoti Malhotra, 33, was arrested last week by Haryana Police under charges of espionage, following leads developed by central intelligence agencies. She is now under joint interrogation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB).
Malhotra, who ran the YouTube channel&nbsp;Travel with Jo&nbsp;with over 3.7 lakh subscribers, was picked up from her Hisar residence on 16 May. She has been booked under Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Sources close to the investigation reveal that Malhotra had maintained consistent contact with Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, a Pakistani national stationed at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi. Danish, since expelled and declared persona non grata, allegedly began grooming Malhotra as an intelligence asset. He reportedly facilitated her travel to Pakistan and introduced her to operatives named Shakir and Rana Shahbaz via an intermediary, Ali Ahwan.
Of particular interest to investigators is a handwritten diary seized from Malhotra&rsquo;s home. Spanning 10&ndash;11 pages and written in both English and Hindi, the entries provide insight into her mindset and activities. One entry&mdash;penned after a 10-day trip to Pakistan&mdash;describes her return to India and expresses deep affection for the neighbouring country. She called Pakistan &ldquo;crazy and colourful,&rdquo; wrote of the overwhelming love she received, and even appealed for the protection of temples and reunification of families separated by Partition.
Police are also scrutinising a curious entry addressed to someone named &lsquo;Savita&rsquo;, instructing her to bring fruits and take care of the house. Mentions of medicines and affectionate notes such as &ldquo;Love you&rdquo; have led investigators to explore whether Malhotra may have been emotionally exploited or honey-trapped by Pakistani handlers.
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Diary under probe: investigators track ‘Savita’, love notes, medicines, and ISI links

Crazy Pakistan, Love, Temples’: Jyoti’s Diary

Diary under probe: investigators track ‘Savita’, love notes, medicines, and ISI links

May 21, 2025 | 10:09 IST