YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra Under Scanner for Allegedly Recceing Key Mumbai Sites

YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra arrested on charges of espionage and leaking sensitive information to Pakistan, is facing intensified scrutiny following new revelations about her multiple visits to Mumbai in 2023.

According to sources within investigative agencies, Malhotra made four separate trips to Mumbai, each of which is now under investigation for potential links to intelligence gathering and surveillance of strategic sites. Her first visit took place on 10 February 2023. The following day, she travelled aboard the inaugural run of the Vande Bharat Express from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) to Shirdi. During this journey, she allegedly recorded videos and captured images of key locations including the CSMT station and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) headquarters—activities now being viewed with serious suspicion by security agencies.

Her second visit occurred on 12 May 2023, when she travelled from Delhi to Mumbai via the Tejas Rajdhani Express. The next day, she is believed to have roamed across several sensitive areas of the city, again filming and photographing various locations. Malhotra’s third visit to Mumbai took place on 20 July 2023, arriving by the Garib Rath Express. While the details of her activities during this trip are still being pieced together, investigators suspect a similar pattern of surveillance.

On her fourth and lengthiest visit, Malhotra flew from Delhi to Mumbai on 3 October 2023 and remained in the city for 22 days. During this period, she reportedly took extensive footage of critical infrastructure including Mumbai’s airport, metro stations, and local train systems. She returned to Delhi on 25 October.

Investigators have seized three mobile phones and a laptop from her possession, which have provided significant evidence of her travel patterns and the content she gathered during her visits. Of particular concern to authorities is her detailed documentation of the Vande Bharat Express journey, which is being examined as a possible attempt to target strategic transportation infrastructure.

In response to these revelations, the Maharashtra government has intensified efforts to trace Malhotra’s movements within the state and identify any contacts she may have had. Maharashtra's Minister of Home Affairs, Yogesh Kadam, stated, “This is a highly sensitive matter. Our agencies are fully alert and the investigation is progressing in the right direction. If required, we will seek her custody.”

The case is being led by central intelligence agencies with active coordination from the Maharashtra Police. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis commented, “Such individuals pose as white-collar professionals and engage in acts of treason. This is clearly visible in Jyoti Malhotra’s case. We are gradually uncovering the locations where she conducted surveillance.”​