'Spy' YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra Visited Mumbai Multiple Times Since July 2023, Allegedly Captured Sensitive Data For Pakistan, Reveals Agencies

Mumbai: In a major revelation during ongoing investigations, national security agencies have uncovered evidence suggesting that Youtuber and social media influencer Jyoti Malhotra, arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan, made multiple visits to Mumbai and captured sensitive videos and photographs of key locations during her stays.

According to highly placed intelligence sources, Malhotra travelled to Mumbai at least three times between July and September 2024, using trains and luxury buses. During these visits, she extensively documented various areas through videos and photos, some of which have now been recovered from her electronic devices.

First Mumbai Visit via Karnavati Express

Her first visit was reportedly in August 2024, when she travelled from Ahmedabad to Mumbai via the Karnavati Express. Sources state she recorded videos throughout the journey, including footage from railway stations and enroute locations. The exact areas she visited and her accommodation in Mumbai during this trip are currently under scrutiny.

Second Visit by Punjab Mail; Historical Reference Raises Flags

Malhotra’s second visit was in September 2024, when she boarded the 12138 Punjab Mail from New Delhi Railway Station to Mumbai. Notably, in one of her social media posts, she mentioned that the Punjab Mail once connected Mumbai to Peshawar before Partition, claiming she chose this train as a symbol of “love across borders.” Intelligence officials believe this narrative was a cover for her actual intent. During this journey, she travelled in a Second AC coach, documenting various locations enroute and upon arrival in Mumbai.

Third Visit by Road in Luxury Bus

In July 2024, Malhotra had also reportedly travelled by road, using a luxury bus to reach Mumbai, where she stayed for a few days. Details of this visit have emerged from a digital forensic analysis of her laptop and mobile devices, which revealed deleted media files later recovered using specialized data recovery tools.

Recovered Data Reveals Wider Footprint

Recovered files include visuals from Mumbai, Pahalgam, and possibly other sensitive locations. Officials are examining who received these images and videos in Pakistan, and whether they were part of a broader espionage operation.

As the investigation into social media influencer Jyoti Malhotra's alleged espionage for Pakistan deepens, intelligence agencies have unearthed yet another suspicious visit of hers to Mumbai—this one during the Ganesh Chaturthi festivities in September 2023.

According to exclusive information from sources, Malhotra visited Mumbai during Ganesh Utsav under the pretext of taking darshan of famous Ganesh idols — Mumbai Cha Raja at Ganesh Galli and Lalbaugcha Raja. However, investigators have now discovered that she extensively filmed massive crowds, local layouts, entry/exit points, and surrounding infrastructure at both locations.

“These locations attract lakhs of devotees, and the visuals she recorded could potentially help anti-national elements understand crowd behavior, security gaps, and escape routes,” a senior officer involved in the probe said.

Investigators are also working to determine if Malhotra made additional, undocumented trips to Mumbai or other strategic Indian locations. Given Mumbai’s history as a soft target for terror activities, these findings have raised significant alarm within intelligence and law enforcement circles.

The case continues to be jointly probed by the NIA, Intelligence Bureau, and other cyber intelligence units.