Hisar (Haryana) [India], May 22– YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra has been remanded to four days of police custody by a Hisar District Court following her arrest on charges of allegedly sharing sensitive information and maintaining contact with a Pakistani national, officials said on Thursday.
According to authorities, Malhotra is under investigation for her suspected involvement in espionage-related activities and for allegedly being cultivated as an “asset.” Superintendent of Police (SP) Hisar, Shashank Kumar Sawan, stated that Malhotra had ties with other YouTube influencers and individuals connected to Pakistani Information Officers (PIOs). She had reportedly travelled to Pakistan on sponsored visits and maintained communication with Pakistani nationals.
“She was in Pakistan prior to the Pahalgam attack, and the investigation is ongoing to determine if there are any direct linkages,” SP Sawan said.
Preliminary inquiries revealed that Malhotra visited the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi in 2023 to apply for a visa, during which she met a man identified as Ahsan-ur-Rahim, also known by the alias “Danish.”
Inspector General of Police (IGP), CID Crime Branch, Sarthak Sarangi, said, “We are verifying all the facts. She also visited places like Puri’s Jagannath temple, Chilika Lake, and Konark. We are in touch with our counterparts in Haryana.”
Puri Police have launched a parallel investigation into Malhotra’s activities in Odisha and are working in coordination with state and central agencies.
Meanwhile, her father, Haris Malhotra, confirmed that his daughter had visited Pakistan and created YouTube content. He urged authorities to return the phones seized during her arrest.
The investigation remains ongoing, and multiple state and central agencies are involved in uncovering the full scope of her connections and possible security implications.