Mumbai, May 22 (UNI) National security agencies have uncovered evidence that social media influencer and YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, arrested on charges of allegedly spying for Pakistan, made multiple visits to Mumbai between July 2023 and September 2024, during which she allegedly recorded sensitive videos and photographs of strategic locations.
Intelligence sources revealed on Thursday that Malhotra travelled to Mumbai at least three times, using trains and luxury buses and extensively documented various areas. Digital forensic analysis recovered significant visual data from her electronic devices, shedding light on her activities.
Her first known visit was in August 2024, when she travelled from Ahmedabad to Mumbai aboard the
Karnavati Express, capturing footage of railway stations and surrounding locations along the route. Details about her stay in Mumbai during this trip remain under investigation.
In September 2024, Malhotra took the Punjab Mail from New Delhi to Mumbai. She referenced the train’s historic pre-Partition route connecting Mumbai to Peshawar in a social media post, describing it as a symbol of “love across borders.”
Intelligence officials suspect this narrative was a cover for espionage purposes. During this journey, she travelled in a Second AC coach and recorded various locations en route and upon arrival.
Earlier, in July 2024, Malhotra reportedly travelled by luxury bus to Mumbai, where she stayed for several days.
Forensic experts recovered deleted media files from her devices, revealing previously concealed evidence of this trip. Recovered data also includes visuals from other sensitive sites such as Pahalgam, prompting investigators to examine who received these materials in Pakistan and whether they were part of a larger espionage network.
Further investigations revealed that Malhotra visited Mumbai during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in September 2023. While she claimed to attend religious ceremonies at prominent sites like ‘Mumbai Cha Raja’ and’ Lalbaug cha Raja’, authorities found she extensively filmed large crowds, entry and exit points, and surrounding infrastructure.
A senior officer involved in the probe noted that such footage could assist hostile elements in understanding crowd dynamics, security weaknesses and escape routes.
Authorities continue to investigate whether Malhotra made additional unreported trips to Mumbai or other strategic locations. Given Mumbai’s history as a target for terror activities, these findings have heightened concerns among intelligence and law enforcement agencies. The case is being jointly probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and cyber intelligence units, who are meticulously examining her digital footprint, communications and financial transactions to uncover the full extent of the alleged espionage operation.
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