The arrest of popular YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra by Haryana Police on suspicion of espionage for Pakistan has taken a new turn with investigators uncovering links to Kolkata and other sensitive locations in West Bengal. Jyoti, who has a sizeable following on social media, allegedly visited several areas of strategic importance, raising serious concerns among law enforcement agencies.
According to police sources, Jyoti had travelled to Kolkata a few months ago, where she shot videos in various crowded and prominent locations. Among these was a video of a moving train at Sealdah station. She also created content at a renowned biryani outlet in Barrackpore, North 24 Parganas — an area which houses military installations and an Indian Air Force base.
A senior official from the Special Task Force (STF) of Kolkata police said, “We have not received any official complaint yet, but we are aware of her visit and have begun our own investigation. In such sensitive cases, we coordinate with both other state police forces and central agencies.”
Investigators are probing whether her visit to Barrackpore was an attempt to collect sensitive visuals of military zones. Her presence at a wedding in Sheoraphuli, Hooghly, is also under scrutiny, as officers try to determine the nature of her relationship with the hosts and the purpose of her visit.
Jyoti’s travel history has further alarmed authorities. She had also visited Siliguri a few months ago and posted a video on August 26 detailing her journey from Delhi to Bagdogra by flight, stating she planned to travel onward to Bhutan. Notably, Siliguri is a crucial corridor linking the Northeast to the rest of India and is surrounded by numerous Army camps.
The pattern of her travel is what has alarmed intelligence officials. Her visits have consistently included locations with strong military or strategic relevance — from Barrackpore and Siliguri to parts of Kolkata. Now, investigators are exploring whether these visits were part of a broader surveillance or information-gathering mission.
Adding to the growing suspicion, officials from the state Intelligence Branch (IB) revealed that Jyoti had also visited Odisha's Jagannath Dham in Puri and filmed multiple temples including the iconic Konark Sun Temple. She was accompanied by another female YouTuber during that trip, raising questions about whether she was operating alone or as part of a wider network.
With central agencies now involved, and state-level coordination underway, the case is unfolding into what may be a deeper cross-border espionage network operating under the guise of travel vlogging and digital content creation.
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