Jyoti Malhotra case: Intelligence agencies are looking into details whether Zeeshan was present during Jyoti’s meeting with two Pakistani operatives, which was arranged through Ali Hasan.
A major revelation has come to light regarding Jyoti Malhotra, a YouTuber and travel vlogger from Haryana’s Hisar, who was arrested on charges of espionage by intelligence agencies and security forces. The data from Jyoti Malhotra’s mobile phone indicates that she was in regular touch with Zeeshan Hussain, a well-known YouTuber from Pakistan. Jyoti was reportedly working with Zeeshan to portray a positive image of Pakistan and run propaganda.
She was also in touch with several other Pakistani YouTubers in addition to Zeeshan. Around two months ago, when Jyoti Malhotra visited Pakistan on a religious visa, she messaged Zeeshan, who came to meet her at the Katasraj Temple.
Both uploaded videos on their respective YouTube channels praising Pakistan. They tried to showcase that Pakistan takes good care of ancient temples and Hindus, whereas the reality of how Hindus and their temples are treated in Pakistan is well known globally.
In one of his videos, Zeeshan referred to Jyoti Malhotra as not just an ambassador of India but also of Pakistan, stating that she was posing a positive image of Pakistan in India. Zeeshan is a popular YouTuber from Lahore. Authorities are investigating whether Jyoti shared any information about the Attari Wagah border or border deployment with him.
They are also looking into details whether Zeeshan was present during Jyoti’s meeting with two Pakistani operatives, which was arranged through Ali Hasan. There is suspicion that Jyoti Malhotra, in collaboration with Zeeshan, was passing sensitive information to Pakistan’s intelligence agency and its operatives.
Madhya Pradesh Police grills YouTuber Jyoti on her Mahakal Temple visit
A Madhya Pradesh police team grilled YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, arrested on suspicion of espionage, in Haryana after it came to light she visited the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain, but nothing incriminating came out during the questioning. The 33-year-old content creator and social media influencer is currently in the custody of police in Hisar, Haryana.
Malhotra was among the 12 people arrested from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh over the past two weeks on suspicion of espionage, with investigators suspecting the presence of a Pakistan-linked spy network operating in north India A team of five Madhya Pradesh cops went to Haryana to grill her after getting information that she had visited the famous temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in the ancient holy city of Ujjain in April last year.
The team grilled her but nothing incriminating or suspicious about her visit to the temple has come out, Ujjain Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Nitesh Bhargava told media over the phone. “The team is scheduled to return tonight (Friday) or by tomorrow (Saturday). The team was sent four days ago,” he said.
Hisar-based Malhotra, who ran a YouTube channel titled ‘Travel with JO’, was arrested from the New Aggarsain Extension on May 16. She was booked under the relevant sections of the Official Secrets Act and the BNS, according to police. The YouTuber had put out photos and videos (on different social media platforms) and police had information that she came to Mahakal Temple for darshan in April last year, said the officer.
“The place is very sensitive and sees a huge number of footfalls daily, including devotees from overseas. So it was important to grill her. We took suo motu (on its own motion) action to send a team to Hisar (where she is being grilled by different agencies),” he added.
She stood in the queue like common devotees and had the darshan of the deity, the ASP said. “We have not got any suspicious things (in connection to her Ujjain visit) as of now. It (questioning) was just our precautionary exercise. What was the harm in it?,” Bhargava asked.
