Espionage case: Jyoti Malhotra’s custody extended by 7 days
Her appearance on August 25 will be in-person when she will be provided with a 2,500-page chargesheet that was submitted by the special investigation team of the Hisar police on August 14, her advocate says
A Hisar court on Monday extended by seven days the judicial custody of YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who is under investigation for alleged espionage for Pakistan. Her advocate Kumar Mukesh said she was produced before the court via videoconferencing. Her appearance on August 25 would be in-person when she will be provided with a 2,500-page chargesheet that was submitted by the special investigation team (SIT) of the Hisar police on August 14, he said.
“Thereafter, we will review the chargesheet to ascertain if it contains any evidence,” he added.
Travel blogger Jyoti, 33, a resident of Hisar, was arrested on May 16 for allegedly sharing sensitive information with Pakistani operatives. According to police officials, she had been allegedly sharing sensitive information to Pakistani operatives and she was in regular touch with them.
“Initially, she created digital content. Later, during her visit to Pakistan, she came in contact with Pakistani handlers. The enemy intelligence operatives developed her like an asset. Jyoti had links with ISI operatives Nasir Dhillon, Hasan Ali, Shakir and Ehsan-ur-Rahim Danish Ali, an officer at the Pakistani high commission in Delhi,” said a senior police officer, requesting anonymity.
As per the chargesheet, Jyoti had visited various places, including Pahalgam in J&K, three months before the terror attack. She travelled to Pakistan thrice, once to China and other countries like Bangladesh and Indonesia.
Earlier, Hisar superintendent of police (SP) Shashank Kumar Sawan had said that Jyoti did not have direct access to any information related to the military or defence operations that she could have shared, but she was in touch with Pakistan’s officials.
“They were developing her as an asset. She was in touch with other YouTube influencers. They were also in touch with PIOs (public information officers). She used to go to Pakistan, like on sponsored trips. She was in Pakistan before the Pahalgam attack. An investigation is on to establish linkages, if there are any. We are also investigating as we have leads that other people were also involved with her,” the SP had said.
The SP said that the YouTuber had visited the Pakistani embassy and uploaded a video in March last year. “Pakistan is not a normal country for us. Attending several events with them and remaining in touch with Danish and others during the conflict period endangers the unity and sovereignty of the country,” the SP said.
