In the wake of Pakistan’s successful Operation Bunyan Un Mursoos, Indian authorities have arrested six of their own citizens on allegations of espionage for Pakistan. Among those detained is Jyoti Malhotra, a travel vlogger from Haryana.
According to Indian media, officials claim that Malhotra—who runs the YouTube channel Travel with Jo—was in contact with members of the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi. She had legally visited Pakistan in 2023 on a valid visa, during which time she reportedly met a staffer from the High Commission. That staffer was later declared persona non grata and expelled from India earlier this month.
Indian officials allege that Malhotra maintained contact with the diplomat and other Pakistani nationals via WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat. Without providing public evidence, authorities claim she shared sensitive information and portrayed Pakistan in a favorable light on her social media platforms.
It is noteworthy that expressing positive sentiments about Pakistan or fostering cross-border goodwill has often provoked harsh reactions in India.
Indian media further reported that Malhotra entered a personal relationship with a Pakistani national and traveled with him to Bali. She now faces charges under India’s newly enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) as well as the colonial-era Official Secrets Act of 1923. The case is currently being handled by the Economic Offences Wing in Hisar.
In addition to Malhotra, Indian authorities also arrested a 32-year-old widow named Guzala from Malerkotla, Punjab. She is accused of applying for a Pakistani visa and allegedly receiving money from the same High Commission official. Her friend, Banu Nasreena, was also taken into custody, along with three men: Yameen Mohammad (accused of financial links), Devinder Singh Dhillon (allegedly recorded sensitive military zones), and Arman (accused of supplying SIM cards and attending a Defence Expo).
Officials have described the arrests as part of a broader “espionage network,” though no formal evidence has been made public, and investigations are ongoing.
Critics argue that the repeated tendency to label cross-border interactions as espionage reflects a growing authoritarian trend under the Modi administration. Pakistan has not yet officially responded to the developments, though observers suggest that cultural exchanges and diplomatic outreach are increasingly being misinterpreted as security threats by Indian authorities.