Haryana Woman Arrested for Alleged Espionage; SP Says She Was Being "Developed as an Asset" by Pakistan

In a major breakthrough, the Haryana Police has arrested Jyoti Malhotra, a resident of Hisar, for allegedly sharing sensitive information and maintaining continuous contact with a Pakistani citizen. Authorities suspect a broader espionage network involving digital influencers and foreign handlers.

Haryana Woman Arrested for Alleged Espionage; SP Says 

#WATCH | Hisar | "They were developing her (Jyoti Malhotra) as an asset. She was in touch with other YouTube influencers, and they were also in touch with the PIOs... She used to go to Pakistan, like on sponsored trips... She was in Pakistan before the Pahalgam attack, and the… pic.twitter.com/OD2wD1vzic

— ANI (@ANI) May 18, 2025

Superintendent of Police (SP) Hisar, Shashank Kumar Sawan, stated, “They were developing her (Jyoti Malhotra) as an asset. She was in touch with other YouTube influencers, and they were also in contact with the PIOs (Persons of Indian Origin).”

Malhotra had undertaken multiple sponsored trips to Pakistan

According to police, Malhotra had undertaken multiple sponsored trips to Pakistan, raising serious suspicions. “She used to go to Pakistan, like on sponsored trips. She was in Pakistan before the Pahalgam attack, and the investigation is on to establish linkages, if there are any,” SP Sawan added.

The authorities believe Malhotra may not have acted alone. “We are also investigating, as we have leads that other people were also involved with her,” the officer said.

Police sources reveal that Malhotra allegedly passed on sensitive information related to security operations and may have been used to influence or extract data from social media circles under the guise of content creation.

The arrest has triggered a wider investigation into digital espionage rings and the use of social media influencers as conduits for intelligence gathering.