Arrested YouTuber’s diary mentions Pakistan visit, probe widens

Jyoti Malhotra’s personal diary, recovered by police, contains entries on her Pakistan trip.

Transcript

00:00Police found Jyoti Malhotra's diary filled with travel notes,

00:05some referencing her Pakistan visit, written in both English and Hindi.

00:10Jyoti was one of 11 individuals arrested since 16th May 2025 from Punjab,

00:15Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in connection with alleged espionage for Pakistan.

00:19Investigators believe her diary could shed light on her foreign contacts

00:22and the scope of her suspected operations.

00:25The diary spanned around 10 to 11 pages.

00:27Eight pages contained general travel notes in English

00:30while three Hindi pages focused specifically on her trip to Pakistan.

00:34One Hindi entry believed to have been written after her return from Pakistan read,

00:38After completing a 10-day journey through Pakistan,

00:41Today I return to my country, India.

00:43We don't know how long the distances of borders will remain,

00:46but may the grievances of hearts disappear.

00:48We all belong to the same land, the same soil.

00:51Sources said Jyoti praised the hospitality she received in Pakistan

00:54and expressed hope that more Indian Hindus could visit their ancestral homes.

00:59She also wrote about the need for easier access to religious sites,

01:02temples, gurudwaras and a desire to reconnect with families separated during the 1947 partition.

01:13Authorities are also scrutinizing video footage from her trips to Kashmir,

01:17where she was often accompanied by Priyanka Setupati from Puri Odisha.

01:21Priyanka has already been questioned about her awareness of or involvement in Jyoti's actions.

01:26So far, no direct evidence has emerged linking her to any illegal activity.

01:33According to investigators, Jyoti often stayed up late editing and uploading videos,

01:37sometimes until 1 a.m.

01:39Following her arrest, her family removed all her photographs from their home.

01:43Her father was reportedly devastated and has distanced himself from the case.

01:48According to sources, Jyoti told investigators she first met Danish at the Pakistan High Commission

01:53in 2023 while applying for a visa.

01:56During her trip, she said Danish's contact, Ali Hassan, arranged her stay

01:59and later introduced her to two suspected Pakistani intelligence officials,

02:03Shakir and Rana Shahbaz.

02:05She allegedly told her interrogators that she saved Shakir's number under the alias

02:09Jatrandhava on her phone to avoid suspicion.

02:12Authorities are also reviewing her travel history and financial transactions.

02:17Investigators believe her diary may help uncover her motives,

02:20contacts and the broader scope of her alleged involvement in espionage.