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Pakistani Spy Network Busted: YouTuber, Widows, Students Among Six Indians Arrested for Espionage In A Week
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A web of espionage stretching across Haryana and Punjab has been busted, with six Indian nationals arrested for allegedly leaking sensitive information to Pakistani intelligence operatives. Among those held is Jyoti Malhotra, a popular Haryana-based travel vlogger who ran the YouTube channel Travel with Jo. She was arrested by Haryana police on Saturday. Since Pahalgam attack and subsequent ‘Operation Sindoor’, Indian investigating agencies have intensified their search for suspected agents supplying information to Pakistan.
According to investigating officials, Jyoti visited Pakistan in 2023 using a visa arranged through commission agents. During the trip, she allegedly came in contact with Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, a staffer at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. Danish, who was expelled from India on May 13, 2025, reportedly introduced her to multiple Pakistani intelligence officers.
Post her return, as per officials, Jyoti stayed in regular touch with these operatives via encrypted apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat. One of her main contacts was an individual identified as Shakir alias Rana Shahbaz, whose number she saved under the alias “Jatt Randhawa.” She is accused of sharing sensitive data related to strategic Indian locations and running pro-Pakistan content online. Authorities also revealed that Jyoti entered a personal relationship with a Pakistani operative and even travelled to Bali, Indonesia with him.
She has been charged under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923. A written confession has been recorded, and the case has now been transferred to the Economic Offences Wing in Hisar.
Another key figure in the racket is 32-year-old Guzala, a widow from Malerkotla, Punjab, arrested last Sunday. Her association with Danish began in February 2025 when she visited the Pakistan High Commission to apply for a visa. Their interaction quickly moved from WhatsApp to Telegram, and a romantic relationship reportedly developed through video calls and chats. Danish sent her money on multiple occasions ₹10,000 through PhonePe and ₹20,000 via Google Pay and even instructed her to forward smaller amounts to designated individuals. On April 23, she returned to the High Commission with her friend, Banu Nasreena, another widow from Malerkotla. Both received expedited visas, allegedly facilitated by Danish, as per officials.
The other accused include Yameen Mohammad, also from Malerkotla, who assisted in financial transactions and visa arrangements. He too was arrested last Sunday by Punjab police. Devinder Singh Dhillon, a Sikh student from Kaithal, Haryana, who was recruited during a pilgrimage to Pakistan and later sent videos of the Patiala cantonment to handlers.
Arman, a resident of Nuh, Haryana, who supplied Indian SIM cards, transferred funds, and attended the Defence Expo 2025 as per instructions from Pakistani operatives.
The arrests mark a major breakthrough in the ongoing crackdown on foreign intelligence networks operating within India. Further investigations are underway.
