Among those arrested, two women: YouTuber from Haryana Jyoti Malhotra, whose YouTube channel and Instagram accounts have 3.77 lakh subscribers and 1.33 lakh followers and 31-year-old Guzala from Punjab both were allegedly in touch with Pakistani officer Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish posted at the Pakistan High Commission
CHANDIGARH: Over 12 persons, including two females – a YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra a resident of Hisar in Haryana, have been nabbed from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh so far allegedly involved in on charges of involved in Pakistan-linked spy network operating in north India, police claims, which include six of them have been held from Punjab, five were nabbed from neighbouring Haryana and one from Uttar Pradesh. The arrests took place in view of the police action in Pahalgam terror attack and India’s Operation Sindoor in which 25 persons were shot dead by the terrorists from Pakistan. Among those arrested, two women, include a YouTuber from Haryana Jyoti Malhotra, whose YouTube channel and Instagram accounts have 3.77 lakh subscribers and 1.33 lakh followers respectively, and a 31-year-old Guzala hailing from Punjab, both were allegedly in touch with a Pakistani officer Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish posted at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.
On May 13, India expelled the Pakistani official for allegedly indulging in a spying network. Police investigations revealed that the arrested accused were allegedly passing on sensitive information including army movements to Pakistani Intelligence Operatives (PIOs). Investigating officials said that a probe into their financial transactions and forensic analysis of their electronic devices including mobile phones and laptops are also underway. In addition to the arrests made from Punjab and Haryana, an alleged agent of Pakistan’s intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was arrested from Rampur in Uttar Pradesh about a week ago Uttar by the state’s Special Task Force (STF).
On May 4, Punjab Police arrested two persons identified as Falaksher Masih and Suraj Masih, both residents of Ajnala in Amritsar district allegedly playing a important role in leaking sensitive information and photographs of Army cantonment areas and air bases in the Punjab neighboring Pakistan to ISI. Investigation revealed, both were allegedly involved in collecting and transmitting crucial information such as the Army’s movements, locations of BSF camps and airports, photographs, and other sensitive data to their handlers in Pakistan. Meanwhile, two more persons, including a female, were arrested by the Punjab Police on May 11 for their alleged involvement in passing illegal activities to Pakistani officials Danish posted at the High Commission in New Delhi. The accused were identified as 31-year-old Guzala and Yameen Mohamad, both residents of Malerkotla, and both were receiving payments through online transactions in exchange for sharing secret information to ISI in Pakistan, as per police investigation.
During a police investigation, female spy Guzala also confessed to having shared confidential information about activities of the Indian Army with the Pakistani official posted at Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. She further revealed that she was doing it to earn money and the accused official had sent her Rs 30,000 in two transactions: Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000 via UPI. The Haryana Police, on May 15, arrested 24-year-old youth Nauman Ilahi from the Panipat district for allegedly supplying sensitive, secret information to some individuals in Pakistan. Ilahi from Kairana in Uttar Pradesh working as a factory security guard in a Panipat factory during police interrogation admitted, was also in touch with a Pak-based ISI handler. The accused admitted that he was supplying sensitive information to Pakistan. A day after his arrest, Haryana Police arrested another 25-year-old post-graduate student in Kaithal for allegedly having links with PIOs.
The accused Devender Singh was arrested for allegedly uploading photos on social media with weapons. Further investigation revealed that Singh was having a master’s degree in political science from a college in Punjab, had gone to Pakistan on pilgrimage in November last year and had developed contacts with a Pak- based ISI handler. During police interrogation, he admitted that during the visit, he came in contact with Pakistani intelligence operatives and remained in touch with them even after his return. Singh allegedly admitted to sending some photos of Patiala cantonment by clicking pictures from outside.
Haryana Police on May 16 arrested Hisar-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra on the charge of passing on sensitive information to PIOs. She allegedly was in contact with Pakistani staffer Danish. According to an FIR lodged at the Civil Lines police station Hisar, in 2023, Jyoti came in contact with Danish at the Pakistan High Commission where she went to seek a visa to visit the neighbouring nation. Hisar Superintendent of Police Shashank Kumar Sawan said PIOs were developing Jyoti Malhotra as an asset. She was allegedly in touch with Danish during the four-day military conflict between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor, Sawan said that her financial transactions and travel details have been investigated and still continuing.
Last Sunday, Haryana Police arrested a 26-year-old youth from the Nuh district in Mewat on charges of spying for Pakistan. The accused Armaan was arrested for sharing information related to the Indian Army and other military activities with Pakistan through an employee posted at the High Commission of Pakistan in Delhi, police said. Armaan was allegedly sharing the information for a long time through WhatsApp and social media platforms. Nuh Police, in a joint operation with a central agency, a week ago arrested another accused for allegedly spying for Pakistan. Shahzad was apprehended on last Sunday following inputs about his alleged involvement in cross-border smuggling and espionage activities for the ISI. Shahzad was allegedly passing sensitive information related to national security to his handlers. Information revealed that he travelled to Pakistan several times over the years and was allegedly smuggling cosmetics, clothes, spices, and other items across the border.
