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In the wake of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, Indian security agencies, including police and intelligence units, have intensified their crackdown on espionage networks. As part of this effort, at least 11 individuals have been arrested across three northern states — Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh — for allegedly spying for Pakistan.

Among those arrested is Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, accused of sharing sensitive information with Pakistani handlers and maintaining ongoing communication with a Pakistani national identified as Danish.

Jyoti Malhotra allegedly developed as a Pakistani asset

According to Hisar Superintendent of Police Shashank Kumar Sawan, Malhotra was being cultivated as a Pakistani asset and maintained connections with both Pakistani nationals and other Indian YouTubers. 

“She was in touch with other YouTube influencers, and they were also in contact with the Pakistan Information Officers (PIOs). She used to go to Pakistan, like on sponsored trips. She was in Pakistan before the Pahalgam attack, and the investigation is ongoing to establish any possible linkages,” said SP Sawan.

#WATCH | Hisar | "They were developing her (Jyoti Malhotra) as an asset. She was in touch with other YouTube influencers, and they were also in touch with the PIOs... She used to go to Pakistan, like on sponsored trips... She was in Pakistan before the Pahalgam attack, and the… pic.twitter.com/OD2wD1vzic

— ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2025

Malhotra runs a travel YouTube channel named Travel with JO and had reportedly visited Pakistan at least twice in 2024. Police allege she came into contact with a man named Ahsan-ur-Rahim, also known as Danish, an official at the Pakistan High Commission. She has been charged under various provisions of the Official Secrets Act for allegedly transferring sensitive Indian military information.

Full list of 11 alleged Pakistani spies arrested in India

1. Jyoti Malhotra (Haryana): Age 33, travel vlogger and influencer. Accused of passing military information to Pakistan, visiting the country twice in 2024, and maintaining contact with Pakistani officials including Danish (alias Ahsan-ur-Rahim).
   
   
2. Devendra Singh Dhillon (Haryana): A 25-year-old first-year MA Political Science student at Khalsa College, Patiala. Arrested in Kaithal on May 12 for sharing photos of firearms on Facebook. He had visited Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan in 2024 and is suspected of sharing pictures of Patiala's military cantonment with ISI officers.
   
   
3. Tarif (Haryana): Resident of Kangarka village in the Taudu subdivision, Nuh district. Arrested in a joint operation by Haryana Police and central intelligence for suspected involvement in a Pakistani spy ring.
   
   

#WATCH | Kaithal, Haryana | A resident of village Mastgarh Cheeka, Devendra has been arrested by the district police of Kaithal for allegedly passing information to the Pakistan army and ISI during the recent Indo-Pak conflict.

DSP Kaithal Veerbhan says, "Intelligence… pic.twitter.com/qQ1WwqMn3y

— ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2025

1. Arman (Haryana): Age 23, from Rajaka village in Nuh. Arrested on May 16. Accused of transmitting sensitive information to Pakistani handlers during increased Indo-Pak tensions.
   
   
2. Nauman Ilahi (Haryana/UP): A 24-year-old security guard arrested in Panipat. Originally from Kairana, Uttar Pradesh. Allegedly received money through his brother-in-law's account in exchange for intelligence passed to ISI contacts.
   
   
3. Shahzad (Uttar Pradesh): From Moradabad, UP. Arrested by the ATS for smuggling goods like clothes, cosmetics, and spices across the Indo-Pak border while allegedly working as an ISI agent. He had reportedly visited Pakistan multiple times and passed on classified security information.
   
   

Lucknow: UP ATS arrested a Pakistani agency ISI spy named Shahzad from Moradabad. Shahzad, a resident of Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, had been visiting Pakistan for the past several years and smuggled cosmetics, clothes, spices and other goods illegally across the border between India… pic.twitter.com/XQkwcxMlCI

— ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2025

1. Mohammad Murtaza Ali (Punjab): Arrested in Jalandhar following an intelligence tip-off. Reportedly engaged in espionage using a mobile application developed by himself. Police seized four mobile phones and three SIM cards from him.
   
   
2. Gazala (Punjab): A woman from Malerkotla, Punjab. Allegedly used as a conduit for transferring funds to Pakistani operatives.
   
   
3. Yamin Mohammad (Punjab): Arrested as part of the same network. Suspected of being recruited for various intelligence-gathering tasks.
   
   
4. Sukhpreet Singh (Punjab): Nabbed in Gurdaspur by Punjab Police under the Official Secrets Act. Currently under investigation for alleged transmission of sensitive information to Pakistan.
   
   
5. Karanbir Singh (Punjab): Also arrested from Gurdaspur. Preliminary findings indicate direct links to ISI handlers and involvement in sending strategic information related to the Indian Armed Forces. A case has been filed under the Official Secrets Act at PS Dorangala.

 

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