Indian authorities have arrested popular travel influencer Jyoti Malhotra on charges of espionage and alleged links to Pakistani intelligence operatives, police confirmed on Monday. The arrest of the Haryana-based YouTuber comes at a time of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following recent cross-border hostilities and diplomatic expulsions.
Malhotra, 29, who has a large social media following with over 377,000 subscribers on YouTube and 133,000 Instagram followers, was detained by the Haryana Police in Hisar. According to officials, she is accused of maintaining suspicious contacts with Pakistani intelligence figures, including Ahsan-ur-Rahim, a Pakistan High Commission official expelled from India on May 13 for alleged espionage activities.
“She was in continuous communication with operatives from across the border and traveled to Pakistan on multiple occasions through sponsored trips,” said Shashank Kumar Sawan, Superintendent of Police, Hisar. “There is reason to believe she may be part of a larger network.”
Authorities are also probing Malhotra’s possible connection to the deadly attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, earlier this month that claimed several lives, including tourists. Investigators say Malhotra’s most recent visit to Pakistan in March 2025 included a stop at the Pakistan High Commission, where she reportedly attended a Ramadan dinner—an event featured in her last YouTube upload about the country.
Police further allege that Malhotra first met Ahsan-ur-Rahim in 2023 during a visa application visit to the Pakistani mission in New Delhi. Since then, they claim she maintained “frequent and discreet contact” with him and other individuals suspected of intelligence links.
The influencer’s father has strongly refuted the allegations, stating: “She is not a spy. She is a travel vlogger who documented her experiences. Every visit was made with proper visas and government permissions.”
On social media, Malhotra describes herself as a “modern girl with old ideas,” and has documented trips to numerous countries including Bangladesh, Thailand, the UAE, China, and Indonesia. Authorities are now examining how she funded these extensive travels, suggesting her income as a content creator may not account for the scope of her international ventures.
The arrest follows a turbulent diplomatic month between the nuclear-armed neighbors. On May 7, India launched airstrikes on what it called “terror infrastructure” inside Pakistan in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack. Pakistan denied involvement, and escalating border skirmishes were eventually de-escalated after a ceasefire was brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump on May 10.
With Malhotra in custody and further investigations underway, officials warn that more arrests could follow as they probe what they believe could be an espionage ring operating under the guise of online influence.
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