Arrested social media travel vlogger Jyoti Rani aka Jyoti Malhotra had visited Kashmir’s Pahalgam in January this year, exactly three months before a terror attack claimed the lives of 26 innocent civilians on April 22. The 34-year-old social media influencer was arrested by Civil Lines Police in Haryana’s Hisar on May 17 on charges of spying for Pakistan under relevant provisions of the stringent Official Secrets Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

She was allegedly supplying on sensitive information to the ISI. During questioning, Jyoti has claimed she was selected as part of a delegation to Pakistan in 2023.

YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra’s Instagram account take down

Two days after her arrest, Jyoti Rani’s Instagram account — which had 1.33 lakh subscribers — was blocked today. Known for her YouTube channel Travel with Jo, Rani had built a strong following with over 3.77 lakh subscribers on YouTube and 1.32 lakh followers on Instagram under the handle travelwithjo1.

Daughter of a retired official from Haryana’s power distribution department, Jyoti Rani’s social media bios described her as a “Nomadic Leo Girl” and a modern Haryanvi-Punjabi traveller with “old ideas.” Her content showcased travel within India and abroad, including trips to Indonesia, China, and most notably, Pakistan.

Jyoti honeytrapped by ISI agent?

It has also been revealed that Jyoti was honeytrapped by a Pakistani High Commission staff named Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, who is allegedly associated with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). A day after her arrest, the Hisar police highlighted how Pakistani intel agencies were targeting social media influencers from India to paint a positive picture of the country and “push their narrative.” As per media reports, the duo had even travelled to Bali together.

According to the FIR, Jyoti grew close to Danish a staff member at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, during her visit to Pakistan in 2023. Danish, who was expelled from India on May 13 after he was declared persona non grata, had allegedly introduced Jyoti to several Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs).

Shesh Paul Vaid, former Director General of Police (DGP) of Jammu and Kashmir spoke about the relationship in a social media post. Taking to X, he wrote, “Is it a coincidence that u tuber Jyoti Malhotra who was honey trapped by Danish, a Pakistani High Commission employee ( most probably ISI person) visited Pahalgam in January 2025? She was reportedly passing on sensitive information to ISI handlers.”

Indian intelligence normally keeps under surveillance people who frequently visit countries or High Commissions of countries like Pakistan, China and now Bangladesh, he informed in a separate X post.

Jyoti saved Pakistani contacts in her phone with misleading names

During questioning by police, Jyoti has admitted to saving contact numbers of her Pakistani handlers under misleading names to avoid raising suspicion, a move investigators believe was a deliberate attempt to conceal her interactions with Pakistani Intelligence Operatives. Officials said her continued engagement with Pakistani intelligence operatives amounts to a breach under the Official Secrets Act and poses a threat to national security.

Jyoti met female influencer who was later spotted in Gurdwara in Pakistan
Jyoti had visited Odisha’s Puri in September 2024 and came in contact with another female YouTuber. The woman who Jyoti befriended in Puri had also travelled to Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan recently, Puri SP Vinit Agrawal told PTI.

However, police has stated that while the YouTuber was in touch with her handlers from across the border during the four-day conflict between India and Pakistan, she had no access to any defence-related intel.