Social Media influencers are giving sleepless nights to Home Ministry

Jyoti Malhotra's latest arrest is just the beginning of a long process

- BY SUSHIL KUTTY

Social Media spies are giving sleepless nights to not only intelligence agencies but also to private television channels with TRPs to consider. Hit hard by steadily increasing numbers of YouTubers, these television channels have latched on to YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra arrest on charges of espionage to ask for "government regulation" of YouTubers.

And the desperation is showing. This even as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) discovered Jyoti Malhotra, India's intel agencies had no inkling that 'Pahalgam' could have had a prelude. What were they when Jyoti Malhotra was gallivanting in Pakistan, laughing her way into the embrace of Pakistan's spy outfits?

Jyoti Malhotra, a.k.a 'Jyoti Rani', visited Pahalgam, on a recce mission. She was allegedly laying the layout for Pakistani handlers in Pakistan. Did Jyoti Malhotra know the terrorists' plan to separate the Hindu from the circumcised before the kill? Did Malhotra collaborate? Is it hard to believe any Indian would?

Jyoti Malhotra was sent to five days' police remand. News trickling out says Jyoti is singing like a canary. The NIA and the IB now want to make up for being late. Malhotra has been running circles around the intel agencies. Jyoti should have been tagged and “roped” long before 'Pahalgam'.