New Delhi: YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who has been arrested and sent to police custody on charges of spying for Pakistan, has reportedly pleaded innocence in the case.
Her father Harish Malhotra visited Jyoti at Central Jail No. 2 in Hisar on the first day of her police custody which will last for 14 days. Later, Harish, while speaking emotionally to the media, said that Jyoti had proclaimed her innocence, according to a Times of India report.
On Monday, Jyoti was sent to 14-day police custody in Hisar and notably, she was already under four-day police custody there that ended on Tuesday. The 33-year-old travel vlogger and YouTuber was arrested on suspicion of espionage.
Police suspected that Jyoti had contacts with operatives of Pakistani intelligence or ISI and hence she was arrested. She has reportedly and allegedly shared sensitive information with Pakistan, including details about power blackouts in India during ‘Operation Sindoor’, according to a report by News18.
During the nine-day remand of Jyoti, SP Shashank Kumar Sawan said there was no evidence suggesting she had access to sensitive military, defence, or strategic information. Even, Sawan said that there was no evidence Jyoti was linked to any terrorist organisation or activity.
But as per several media reports, Jyoti was in direct contact with a minimum of four Pakistani intelligence operatives, each with known roles, and a forensic investigation has confirmed it. A Hindustan Times report stated that the Pakistani operatives gave her special treatment when she visited Pakistan. Reportedly, as per police, she was fully aware of their positions, including involvement in intelligence, which suggests Jyoti engaged with them deliberately.
Authorities are probing four bank accounts of Jyoti. It must be noted that Hisar police has dismissed reports of Jyoti’s marriage to any Pakistani operative and also refuted claims that she converted to Islam. Jyoti and 11 others were arrested from Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh on suspicion of espionage. Investigators are reporting suspecting that there is a spy network linked to Pakistan operating in northern India.
