Jyoti Malhotra

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Jyoti Malhotra
Born
Hisar, Haryana, India
NationalityIndian
Occupation(s) YouTuber, travel vlogger
Years active2019–2025
Known forYouTube channel Travel with JO; arrest in 2025 for alleged espionage
Criminal statusIn police custody (as of May 2025)
Website Travel with JO on YouTube

Jyoti Malhotra is an Indian travel vlogger who ran the YouTube channel Travel with JO.

Contents

She was arrested in May 2025 under the under the Official Secrets Act amid the 2025 India–Pakistan conflict. She is accused of espionage, passing sensitive information to operatives of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). [1] Her arrest drew widespread national media coverage. [2] [3]

Background and vlogging

Malhotra is from Hisar, Haryana, and is known for her travel content published under the YouTube channel Travel with JO, which had more than 400,000 subscribers as of 2025. She also had a following of more than 130,000 on Instagram. [4] Her travel history includes trips to Pakistan, Bhutan, Thailand, Nepal, Indonesia (Bali) and China.

Arrest

Malhotra was arrested by the Haryana Police in May 2025 and booked for espionage under the Official Secrets Act and Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Her custody has been extended multiple times by courts in Haryana to allow forensic examination of her electronic devices and financial records. [5] Police officials have stated that while she admitted to being in contact with Inter-Services Intelligence-linked individuals, no evidence has surfaced indicating she accessed military secrets or had links to terrorist organizations. [6] [7] In 2023, Malhotra reportedly visited the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi for a visa, where she met a staffer identified as ISI agent Ehsan-ur-Rahim a.k.a. "Danish" who had been expelled as a persona non grata, also for espionage, in May 2025. Danish had reportedly recruited Indian social media influencers, such as Malhotra and Jasbir Singh of the JaanMahal Video YouTube travel channel, for the ISI. [8] [9] [4] According to investigators, she allegedly maintained communications with multiple Pakistani intelligence operatives and visited Pakistan at least three times between 2023 and 2025. Reports also indicate she traveled to Bali with one of her Pakistani contacts. [10]

She is alleged to have leaked non-military but sensitive information during the May 2025 India–Pakistan conflict (part of the 2025 India–Pakistan crisis which followed the April 2025 Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir). [11] [12] [7]

The case received national media attention and ignited discussions about honey trapping, the vulnerability of influencers and cybersecurity in India. [10] [13] [14]

See also

References

  1. "Jyoti Malhotra: Indian YouTuber arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan". BBC.com . 2025-05-19. Retrieved 2025-05-24.
  2. "Haryana YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra and Pakistan 'spy network'". India Today . 19 May 2025. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  3. "'Pakistan is….': 'Spy' YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra's diary entry after her 10-day Pak visit goes viral". Financial Express . 2025-05-21. Retrieved 2025-05-24.
  4. 1 2 "The story of Jyoti Malhotra: Hisar vlogger turned alleged ISI asset". Indian Express . Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  5. "Spy YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra's custody extended by 4 days". NDTV . Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  6. "Not a 'super spy': No evidence of military leaks in Jyoti Malhotra case, say police". Financial Express . Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  7. 1 2 "Arrested YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra was being developed as Pak asset: Cops". India Today . 2025-05-18. Retrieved 2025-05-24.
  8. "How ISI agent Danish tried to recruit Jyoti Malhotra". Hindustan Times . Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  9. "'Tasked with recruiting influencers': How YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra became first catch in ISI agent Danish's spy hunt". The Times of India . 2025-05-23. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 2025-05-24.
  10. 1 2 "Explained: Jyoti Malhotra, social media, and espionage risks". Firstpost . Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  11. "Jyoti Malhotra leaked blackout details to ISI". Financial Express . Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  12. ""Get Me Married": The Conversation Between 'Spy' YouTuber And ISI Handler". NDTV . Retrieved 2025-05-24.
  13. "Police clarify: Jyoti Malhotra not involved in high-grade espionage". India Today . 22 May 2025. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  14. "Jyoti Malhotra - YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra arrested for spying; was being developed as Pakistan asset: Police". Business Today . 2025-05-19. Retrieved 2025-05-24.