HISAR, May 22: — A local court in Hisar on Thursday extended by four days the police custody of travel blogger and YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested last week for allegedly sharing sensitive information with Pakistani intelligence operatives (PIOs).
Malhotra, 33, was initially arrested on May 16 and booked under Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923, along with Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Her first remand ended on May 21, following which she was presented in court again for a custody extension.
“The extension was required as forensic analysis of her digital devices — including three mobile phones and a laptop — is still underway,” said Hisar police spokesperson Vikas Kumar. He added that two phones belonging to Harkirat Singh, a Kurukshetra-based agent who allegedly facilitated her travel to Pakistan, have also been sent for examination.
No media was allowed inside the courtroom during the proceedings. “Details will be shared later in the day,” Kumar stated. Meanwhile, Malhotra’s father, Harish Malhotra, has not been permitted to meet her since her arrest.
Superintendent of Police Shashank Kumar Sawan, addressing the media on Wednesday, clarified that while Malhotra maintained contact with Pakistani operatives “despite knowing who they were,” there is no evidence linking her to terrorist organizations or planned attacks.
“We haven’t found any documents indicating an intent to marry a Pakistani operative or to convert religion. Claims about a diary in the public domain remain unverified — no such diary has been recovered,” said the SP. He also confirmed that her four bank accounts and WhatsApp messages are under analysis, but no conclusions have yet been drawn.
During her five-day police custody, Malhotra was also questioned by officials from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) regarding the nature and scope of her interactions with the operatives.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities examine digital trails and financial records to determine whether further charges are warranted.
