YouTuber Among 6 Arrested in Widening Espionage Probe in Haryana

In a major crackdown on an espionage network, Haryana Police on Saturday announced the arrest of six individuals, including travel vlogger Jyoti Rani (photo) from Hisar and a student from Kaithal, among others from different parts of the state.

- RAHUL GAHLAWAT

Jyoti, who runs a travel-related YouTube channel titled 'Travel with Jo', was produced in Hisar district court after her arrest and was remanded to five days of police custody.

According to the FIR registered at Civil Lines Police Station in Hisar, accessed by The Statesman, Jyoti came into contact with Ahsan-Ur-Rahim alias Danish at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi in 2023 during a visa-related visit.

The FIR further states that Jyoti travelled twice to Pakistan, during which Danish introduced her to Pakistani intelligence officers Shakib and Rana Shehbaz. She saved Shakib's contact in her phone under the alias 'Jat Randhawa'.

Investigations revealed she remained in touch with the officers through social media platforms such as Snapchat and Telegram to share sensitive information, and had met Danish multiple times in Delhi.