Haryana-based YouTuber, Jyoti Malhotra from Haryana's Hisar was arrested on the charge of passing on sensitive information to Pakistani intelligence operatives.
Indian authorities expelled a Pakistani official employed at Pakistan’s High Commission on May 13 for allegedly indulging in 'espionage'.
Earlier, two persons, including a woman, were arrested from Malerkotla by Punjab police for their alleged involvement in espionage activities linked to the Pakistani official.
This comes at a time when tensions are high between the neighbouring countries following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and Indian retaliation with 'Operation Sindoor' to attack the terrorist hideouts in Pakistan, there were also incidents of cross border firing over the last week.
What Are The Charges?
Jyoti Malhotra who was arrested from New Aggarsain Extension reportedly on May 17 has been booked under the relevant sections of the Official Secrets Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
She was sent to a five-day police remand after being produced before the court.
Who Is YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra?
Jyoti Malhotra runs a YouTube channel, Travel with JO, and hails from Hisar in Haryana and her channel has 3.77 lakh subscribers.
She allegedly was in contact with a Pakistani staffer working at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi who was expelled by Indian authorities on May 13 for allegedly indulging in espionage.
According to the FIR lodged at Civil Lines Police Station on May 16, PTI reported that Jyoti came in contact with Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish at the Pakistan High Commission in 2023 where she went to seek a visa to visit the neighbouring nation.
Jyoti, who visited Pakistan twice, had met Danish's acquaintance Ali Ahwan who arranged her stay there, the FIR read.
PTI further reported that Ahwan arranged Jyoti's meeting with Pakistani Security and Intelligence officials and met Shakir and Rana Shahbaz. She saved Shahbaz's mobile number as 'Jatt Randhawa' to avoid any suspicion.
She was in contact with these persons through WhatsApp, Telegram and Snapchat, and passed on sensitive information to them, according to the FIR.
She met Danish several times at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi and was found to be in touch with Pakistani Intelligence Operatives, it said.
Other Cases Of Espionage
Jyoti's arrest came a day after a 25-year-old post-graduation student, allegedly having links with Pakistani intelligence operatives, was arrested from Kaithal.
The accused, Devender Singh, from Kaithal district's Guhla area, was arrested after an FIR was registered against him on Sunday for uploading photos on social media with weapons, police said.
A few days ago, a 24-year-old youth, Nauman Ilahi, was arrested in Panipat district for allegedly supplying sensitive information to some individuals in Pakistan.
(With PTI inputs)
