A chilling espionage trail involving social media, honey-traps, and cross-border intelligence has surfaced with the arrest of Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra for allegedly spying for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). What’s raised more eyebrows is her visit to Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam just three months before the deadly terror attack on April 22 that claimed 26 lives.
Malhotra, who runs the travel vlog channel Travel With Jo, was taken into custody on Saturday, May 17, following intelligence inputs about her suspected links to Pakistani intelligence operatives. According to a News18 report, she was allegedly honey-trapped by a Pakistani High Commission official identified as Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, believed to be an ISI operative.
The arrest has intensified scrutiny over a possible link between her January 2025 visit to Pahalgam and the April terror attack. Former Jammu and Kashmir DGP Shesh Paul Vaid questioned the coincidence in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating:
“Is it a coincidence that YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra who was honey-trapped by Danish, a Pakistani High Commission employee (most probably ISI person), visited Pahalgam in January 2025? She was reportedly passing on sensitive information to ISI handlers.”
He also raised concerns over the surveillance protocols, adding:
“Our intelligence services normally keep under surveillance those frequently visiting the countries or High Commissions of enemy nations like Pakistan, China and now Bangladesh.”
The investigation has revealed a disturbing pattern: Malhotra reportedly visited Pakistan multiple times—at least twice in 2023—and also travelled to China and Bali, Indonesia, on what officials believe were sponsored trips. The facilitation was allegedly done by one Ali Ehwan, while Danish acted as her primary handler, introducing her to other Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs) including Shakir and Rana Shahbaz.
Superintendent of Police Hisar, Shashank Kumar Sawan, revealed to reporters:
“They were developing her (Jyoti Malhotra) as an asset. She was in touch with other YouTube influencers, and they were also in touch with the PIOs... She used to go to Pakistan, like on sponsored trips... She was in Pakistan before the Pahalgam attack, and the investigation is on to establish linkages, if there are any.”
He further confirmed that leads point toward the involvement of more individuals, possibly Indian content creators, in the alleged espionage ring. Malhotra was remanded to five-day police custody as the investigation expands.
This high-profile arrest came on the same day five other individuals were taken into custody on similar charges of spying for Pakistan. Meanwhile, Danish, the Pakistani High Commission staffer accused of recruiting Malhotra, was expelled by India on May 13 for his alleged involvement in espionage.
