Vlogger Jyoti Rani Held for Alleged Spying; Two More Arrested in Punjab

Popular travel vlogger Jyoti Rani Malhotra (33), known online as "Travel with Jo", was arrested from Hisar, Haryana, for allegedly spying for Pakistani intelligence. She has been booked under the Official Secrets Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for acts endangering national integrity. Her arrest came after central intelligence agencies flagged her travel and financial activities, prompting a deeper probe.

According to Hisar police, Malhotra, with over 3.7 lakh YouTube subscribers, allegedly maintained contact with Pakistan High Commission official Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish. She reportedly met him in 2023 while applying for a visa. Danish, now declared persona non grata and expelled from India, is believed to have recruited her to gather sensitive information. Investigators suspect her visits to Pakistan and China and financial dealings exceed her known income sources. Her electronic devices are under forensic examination.

Officials believe Malhotra may have fallen prey to espionage under the lure of popularity, highlighting how influencers can be exploited for modern hybrid warfare.

In a related crackdown, Punjab Police arrested two more individuals — Sukhpreet Singh and Karanbir Singh — for allegedly leaking military secrets to Pakistan’s ISI. This raises the total such arrests in the state to six. The duo reportedly shared details of Operation Sindoor and troop movements. Police recovered mobile phones and live cartridges during the arrests.

Investigations also revealed that several accused had connections to Danish. Arrested earlier in Malerkotla, Guzala and Yameen Mohd were found to have shared army-related data for money. Two others — a tailor from Bathinda military station and a salesman from Shahpur Kandi — were also nabbed for aiding ISI handlers.

Authorities are tightening surveillance as these cases expose a growing espionage network targeting India’s internal security.