Hisar, Haryana: Police have arrested Jyoti Malhotra, a YouTuber known as ‘Travel With Jo’, for allegedly sharing sensitive Indian military information with Pakistan. Jyoti, 33, was apprehended along with five others in connection with the espionage case.
Investigations reveal that Jyoti came into contact with Ehsan-ur-Rahim (alias Danish), an official from the Pakistan High Commission, who was recently declared persona non grata by India and expelled for leaking classified details following Operation Sindoor—India’s retaliatory strike against terror hubs in Pakistan and PoK after the deadly Pahalgam attack.
Jyoti confessed to meeting Rahim at the Pakistan High Commission in 2023 while applying for a visa. She reportedly traveled to Pakistan twice, where Rahim’s associate Ali Ahwan facilitated her stay and arranged meetings with Pakistani security officials, including Shakir and Rana Shahbaz. To avoid suspicion, she saved Shakir’s number under a fake name on her phone.
The accused maintained contact with Pakistani operatives through WhatsApp, Snapchat, and Telegram, exchanging anti-national information. Reports also suggest Jyoti had an intimate relationship with a Pakistani intelligence operative and traveled with him internationally, including to Bali.
Jyoti had openly shared images and videos from her Pakistan trips on Instagram as recently as March.
This case highlights ongoing security challenges involving cross-border espionage through social media and digital platforms.
