Hisar (Haryana) [India], May 29: YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who is under investigation for allegedly spying against India, has officially appointed legal counsel ahead of her first court appearance. Advocate Kumar Mukesh will represent her in the Hisar District Court, with the initial hearing scheduled for June 9.
The lawyer confirmed that Jyoti, currently in judicial custody, has signed the Vakalatnama (legal authorization), and the defense will soon initiate the bail process. Mukesh stated that the case documents have yet to be received, and a clearer picture will emerge after reviewing the full file. He added that a bail plea will likely be filed within the next few days after detailed case study.
Mukesh said he was contacted by Jyoti’s father, Harish Malhotra, for legal representation, although the Vakalatnama could not be signed initially. The lawyer also mentioned that Jyoti had created content for her YouTube channel across multiple locations and had travelled abroad on a valid visa.
Jyoti Malhotra was arrested on May 26 and remanded to 14-day judicial custody over allegations of sharing sensitive information and maintaining contact with a Pakistani national. Authorities claim she met a man identified as Ahsan-ur-Rahim (also known as Danish) at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi in 2023, and later visited Pakistan twice.
According to preliminary investigations, the woman allegedly shared sensitive information with Rahim. Inspector General of Police (CID Crime Branch) Sarthak Sarangi noted that Jyoti had also travelled to Puri’s Jagannath Temple, Chilika, and Konark, posting videos of these visits on Instagram. Investigators are probing her links to an Odisha-based YouTuber as well.
Police say all information is currently under verification, and further updates will follow as the investigation progresses.