Police in Haryana, India, have arrested travel YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra amid suspicions that she has been spying for Pakistan. The influencer has reportedly traveled to Pakistan multiple times, the most recent visit being in March 2025. Authorities claim that Malhotra was in contact with a Pakistani High Commission official, recently expelled from India, prompting these espionage allegations.
The accusations have been firmly denied by her father, who asserted that Malhotra secured the necessary permissions for her trips. With a social media presence boasting 377,000 YouTube subscribers and 133,000 Instagram followers, Malhotra promotes herself as a "modern girl with old ideas." However, questions have surfaced about how she funded her extensive travels around the globe, which have included destinations such as Bangladesh, China, the UAE, and Indonesia, aside from various Indian locales.
Police sources have indicated that Malhotra maintained communication with "Pakistani intelligence operatives" and had repeated interactions with a Pakistani citizen. Furthermore, she is currently being investigated for potential links to a recent attack in Pahalgam, a popular tourist spot in Kashmir, according to Shashank Kumar Sawan, the superintendent of police in Hisar.
Officers noted that Malhotra was seen socializing with other influencers and frequently traveled to Pakistan, presumably on sponsored trips. This investigation comes in the wake of rising tensions between India and Pakistan, further highlighted by the expulsion of a Pakistan High Commission official mentioned in the allegations.
The complex relationship between the two nuclear-armed neighbors has made such arrests routine; both nations have made similar accusations against each other in the past. Following a period of heightened military activity and cross-border clashes, both sides had agreed to a ceasefire a few days prior to her arrest.
