YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra grilled by Madhya Pradesh police over Mahakal temple visit; nothing suspicious found

Jyoti Malhotra had shared photos and videos on social media, and police learned she had visited Mahakal Temple for obeisance in April last year.

Published on: May 23, 2025, 20:27:00 IST

By HT News Desk

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Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, arrested on suspicion of espionage, was questioned by Madhya Pradesh police over her visit to Ujjain’s Mahakaleshwar Temple, but officials found nothing incriminating, PTI reported, quoting an official.

Travel vlogger Jyoti Malhotra was arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan. (Instagram/@travelwithjo1)

She was questioned by a five-member Madhya Pradesh police team in Haryana after they received information about her visit to Ujjain’s famous Mahakaleshwar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, in April last year.

Ujjain additional superintendent of police (ASP) Nitesh Bhargava told PTI that the team grilled her but found nothing suspicious or incriminating about her temple visit.

“The team was sent four days ago and is scheduled to return tonight (Friday) or by tomorrow (Saturday),” he added.

The YouTuber had shared photos and videos on various social media platforms, and police received information that she visited Mahakal Temple for obeisance in April last year, the officer said.

“The place is very sensitive and sees a huge number of footfalls daily, including devotees from overseas. So it was important to grill her. We took suo motu (on its own motion) action to send a team to Hisar (where she is being grilled by different agencies),” PTI quoted Nitesh Bhargava as saying.

‘No harm in precaution’: Police on YouTuber’s questioning

She waited in line like any other devotee and had darshan of the deity, the ASP said. “So far, we haven’t found anything suspicious related to her Ujjain visit. The questioning was just a precautionary measure. What harm was there in that?” Bhargava asked.

The 33-year-old based in Hisar and the creator of the YouTube channel ‘Travel with JO,’ was arrested from New Aggarsain Extension on May 16.

Police have registered cases against her under the relevant sections of the Official Secrets Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Malhotra is currently in police custody in Hisar. She is among 12 suspects arrested over the past two weeks from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh on charges of espionage, linked to an ongoing investigation into a suspected Pakistan-backed spy network operating in northern India.

With PTI inputs

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