Cops issue big remark on Jyoti Malhotra's plans to 'marry in Pakistan'

Hisar Superintendent of Police said they have not found any formal proof of her intent to marry a Pakistani or change her religion.

Updated on: May 22, 2025, 12:54:49 IST

By HT News Desk

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Police addressed the espionage charges against YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra on Wednesday, stating that she was in contact with officials from the Pakistan embassy. But they is no evidence so far linking her to any terrorist group or activity.

YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra has been arrested and is facing espionage charges. (YouTube/@TravelwithJo)

Malhotra, known for her travel videos on the YouTube channel Travel with Jo, was arrested last week. Police say she had been in contact with a Pakistani intelligence officer named Ehsan-ur-Rahim, also known as Danish, and allegedly shared sensitive information with him.

Did Jyoti Malhotra want to marry in Pakistan?

In a WhatsApp chat quoted by NDTV, Malhotra is believed to have told Danish: “Get me married in Pakistan.”

However, Hisar Superintendent of Police said they have not found any formal proof of her intent to change her religion. “We have not found any document which depicts that she wants to marry any PIOs or wants to change religion,” the SP said

Cops say Danish, who has been declared persona non grata by India, introduced Malhotra to Ali Ahwan. Ahwan allegedly helped arrange her stay and connected her with Pakistani officials Shakir and Rana Shahbaz.

“Danish was developing her as an asset. She was in touch with other YouTube influencers,” a Hisar police spokesperson said.

YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra espionage charges

The 33-year-old, Jyoti Malhotra, who has over 100,000 followers on Instagram and 3.87 lakh subscribers on YouTube, reportedly visited Pakistan twice. During one of these visits, she came into contact with an official at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi. Her interactions raised suspicion, leading to questioning by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Intelligence Bureau (IB).

Malhotra has been charged under Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act and Section 152 of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita Act.

She is one of 12 people arrested across Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh in the past two weeks on espionage charges. Police believe the case may be part of a larger Pakistan-linked spy network in northern India.

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HT News Desk
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