In a startling revelation that has rocked Indian intelligence circles, a popular travel vlogger from Haryana has been arrested alongside five others for allegedly leaking sensitive military information to Pakistan.
The main accused, 33-year-old Jyoti Malhotra, rose to fame for her travel-themed YouTube channel, but authorities now allege that her cross-border visits were part of a far more sinister agenda. According to Indian security officials, Malhotra visited Pakistan twice in 2023 and cultivated a suspicious relationship with a Pakistani national named Ehsan-ur-Rahim, believed to be part of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.
After the Pahelgam terrorist attack, Indian agencies reportedly identified Rahim as a threat to national security and ordered his expulsion within 24 hours. What they discovered next was more troubling.
During her visits to Pakistan, Malhotra allegedly interacted with high-ranking officials in Pakistan’s security and intelligence network. Upon returning to India, she is said to have continued passing on classified information. Under interrogation, she reportedly confessed to meeting Rahim on several occasions and admitted to transmitting sensitive data on Indian military locations.
Indian media reports also shed light on another woman involved in the spy ring a 32-year-old resident of Malerkotla, Punjab, identified as Gusala. She allegedly met Rahim while applying for a visa in Pakistan and began receiving money from him periodically, raising suspicions of a financial motive linked to espionage.
While the full extent of the leaked information remains under investigation, Indian security forces believe this network was part of a broader strategy to destabilize regional security through covert intelligence transfers. Authorities have not ruled out additional arrests as the investigation expands.
The bust has reignited concerns over digital influencers being exploited for geopolitical espionage, especially as platforms like YouTube continue to offer global reach with limited oversight. Officials warn that even seemingly harmless content creators can be manipulated into becoming pawns in international intelligence operations.
As the case unfolds, the Indian public watches closely, wondering how deep the rabbit hole goes and how many others may be hiding behind the mask of content creation.
