Hisar Travel Blogger Arrested for Spying, Linked to Pakistani Spy Ring

Jyoti Malhotra, known for her YouTube channel “Travel with Jo,” allegedly passed sensitive information to Pakistani intelligence operatives. She is the third person from Haryana arrested for espionage this week.

Hisar, Haryana | May 17, 2025 – A travel blogger from Hisar has been arrested for alleged espionage, making it the third such arrest in Haryana within a week. Jyoti Malhotra, who ran the popular YouTube channel “Travel with Jo”, was booked under the Official Secrets Act, 1923 and Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for sharing sensitive information with Pakistani operatives.

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Contact Through Pakistan High Commission

According to police, Jyoti came into contact with Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, a staffer at the Pakistan High Commission (PHC) in Delhi during her visit in 2023. Her interactions reportedly extended to multiple Pakistani intelligence officials during two trips to Pakistan last year.

Police sources revealed that Malhotra was also introduced to Ali Ehwan, who arranged her stay and facilitated meetings with intelligence operatives like Shakir and Rana Shahbaz.

Also Read: Haryana Student Held for Espionage: Second Arrest Linked to Pakistan This Week

Use of Encrypted Messaging & Aliases

The FIR filed at Hisar Civil Lines Police Station stated that Malhotra saved the contact of one operative under the name “Jatt Randhawa” to avoid detection. She reportedly continued sharing information through encrypted platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat.

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She was placed under five-day police remand after preliminary questioning revealed key links to an intelligence network operating across Haryana and Punjab.

Romantic Link & Overseas Travel

Investigators have also flagged her alleged intimate relationship with a Pakistani Intelligence Officer (PIO) with whom she reportedly traveled to Bali, Indonesia. She was allegedly used to promote pro-Pakistan content online, including projecting a favorable image of the country through her travel videos.

Wider Network Exposed

Earlier this week:

• Nauman Ilahi, a 24-year-old security guard in Panipat, was arrested for espionage.
• Devendra Singh Dhillon, a political science student from Kaithal, was also caught sharing military information with Pakistan after visiting via the Kartarpur corridor.

The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that Ehsan-ur-Rahim (Danish) was declared persona non grata and expelled from India on May 13, 2025.

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Jyoti Malhotra arrest, Pakistan spy network India, Haryana espionage case, Travel with Jo YouTube, Pakistan High Commission spy ring, Hisar blogger spying case, Indian Official Secrets Act, Indo-Pak espionage, Kartarpur corridor misuse, OperationSindoor,