In a dramatic twist, Haryana Police detained popular YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra from Hisar on charges of spying for Pakistan. Famous for her travel vlog channel Travel with JO, Malhotra had 3.77 lakh subscribers on YouTube and 1.33 lakh followers on Instagram. But investigators now reveal that Pakistani intelligence operatives secretly employed her and used her channel to spread foreign propaganda.
Jyoti Malhotra was arrested soon after her photos went viral on the internet with a man who had made a cake delivery to the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 civilians.
The video of his cake delivery went viral after the attack. Twitter users made the connection, as the same man featured in one of Malhotra’s videos on YouTube. Being Political’s X (formerly Twitter) post assisted in stoking public interest and outrage.
Do you remember this video?
When an employee of Pakistan High Commission brought a cake the next day of Pahalgam attack.
This is the same person who was seen with Pak spy Jyoti Malhotra.#JyotiMalhotra pic.twitter.com/lgnDBRBjGD
— Being Political (@BeingPolitical1) May 19, 2025
Espionage Trail Behind the Lens
As per the FIR, Malhotra, in her questioning, had confessed to having traveled to Pakistan in 2023 on a group tour. She met Ahsan-ur-Rahim, alias Danish, there and stayed in touch with him on WhatsApp and other sources. On another visit, following Ahsan’s recommendation, she met Ali Ahsan, who introduced her to officials of Pakistani intelligence and security agencies.
The person who brought cake to Pakistan High Commission on next day of Pahalgam Attack is also seen in video of Pakistani Spy Jyoti Malhotra. pic.twitter.com/OgFun57zAD
— Incognito (@Incognito_qfs) May 19, 2025
After this meeting, according to police, Malhotra started passing on classified Indian army information to her Pakistani handlers. She communicated in secret using end-to-end encrypted apps WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat. She even disguised contact numbers—she saved Shahbaz’s number under the alias ‘Jatt Randhawa’ to avoid arousing suspicion.
Secret Influence in a Networked World
Investigators believe Pakistani handlers instructed Malhotra to post content on social media that painted Pakistan in a good light. They did this to shape public opinion and build trust between the influencer and her audience. The FIR accuses Malhotra of doing it on purpose rather than accidentally trying to mislead the authorities and function below the radar of surveillance.
This case doesn’t merely involve individual wrongdoing—it shows how espionage agents are now turning social media platforms into tools of spying. As influencer society increases, the distinction between content and clandestine propaganda becomes perilously thin.
