YouTuber Was in Pak Before Pahalgam Attack: Hisar SP

Says Pakistani intelligence operatives were grooming her to become an asset

- Bhavey Nagpal

KARNAL: Two days after the arrest of Hisar-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra on charges of espionage, Hisar Superintendent of Police (SP) Shashank Kumar Sawan on Sunday said that Pakistani intelligence operatives (PIOs) were grooming her to become an asset.

He revealed that Malhotra had visited Pakistan several times, including a trip before the Pahalgam terror attack, and had also travelled to China.

Addressing a press conference, SP Sawan said central agencies had informed the Haryana Police that PIOs were actively recruiting social media influencers to promote soft narratives. Malhotra, who was arrested on Friday, has been remanded to police custody for five days.

Travel blogger front, finances under probe

"She is being interrogated by the Haryana Police, in coordination with central agencies. We are analysing her financial transactions and travel history to determine the sources of her income," said SP Sawan. "Her known income sources do not justify her foreign travel. We suspect external funding. On the surface, she was just a travel blogger," he added.

The SP confirmed that Malhotra was in direct contact with PIOs, including individuals declared persona non grata by India. While she did not have direct access to sensitive defence information, her communication with PIOs during periods of heightened tension between India and Pakistan was "alarming."