Haryana: In the latest turn of events, YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan, has proclaimed her innocence while in police custody.
The 33-year-old content creator was recently moved to Central Jail No 2 in Hisar, Haryana, where she received a visit from her father, Harish Malhotra, on the first day of her 14-day remand.
Direct Contacts with Pakistani Operatives, Say Police
Authorities allege that Malhotra maintained deliberate and sustained contact with at least four known Pakistani intelligence operatives. According to a Hindustan Times report, she received special treatment during a recent visit to Pakistan and was reportedly aware of the identities and roles of the individuals she interacted with—suggesting intentional collaboration.
Police suspect that she passed on non-strategic but sensitive information, including blackout patterns during India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’. However, SP Shashank Kumar Sawan told News18 that no evidence has yet emerged linking her to classified military or strategic data, nor to any terrorist outfit.
Investigators are now scrutinising her four bank accounts for any suspicious transactions. No formal statement has been issued yet regarding the nature of her finances. Earlier reports suggesting a marriage to a Pakistani national or religious conversion have been officially refuted by Hisar police.
'She Says She’s Innocent'
During a brief jail visit, Harish Malhotra broke down as he recounted his daughter’s words. "She told me she’s innocent. We just want the truth to come out," he told The Times of India.
Jyoti is among a dozen individuals arrested across northern India over the past few weeks as part of a widening investigation into an alleged Pakistan-backed spy ring. One of her known contacts, Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, a staffer at the Pakistani High Commission, was expelled by the Indian government earlier this month on charges of espionage.
