YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, known for her channel 'Travel with JO,' has confessed to maintaining direct contact with a staff member of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, Hisar police confirmed.

Arrested from New Aggarsain Extension, Hisar, Malhotra admitted during interrogation that she had regular communication with Pakistani official Ehsan-ur-Rahim, also known as Danish, from November 2023 to March 2025.

Authorities suspect Danish was attempting to recruit her as an intelligence asset.

According to police, Malhotra also interacted with other YouTube influencers. Her electronic devices, along with those of Harkirat Singh, IT head of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, have been sent for forensic analysis.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) are examining her communications and finances, including several bank accounts and suspicious transactions.

Officials are also reviewing her international travel history, which includes visits to Pakistan, China, and other countries.

Malhotra is one of 12 individuals arrested across Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh in a widening investigation into a possible Pakistan-linked espionage network in northern India. Authorities plan to seek extended custody in court on Wednesday.