The Punjab and Haryana High Court rejected bail for YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, arrested last year for allegedly sharing sensitive information with Pakistani intelligence officials. The court said there was “abundant evidence”, noting attempts to delete conversation records and alleged transmission of sensitive data to operatives of the Pakistan intelligence agency.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court rejected bail for YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested last year on allegations of relaying sensitive information to Pakistani intelligence officials.
Justice Surya Pratap Singh said there was abundant evidence against Malhotra, including attempts to delete material related to conversations and the transmission of sensitive data to operatives of the Pakistan intelligence agency.
The court held that the information gathered against Malhotra falls within the category of prohibited information and that her conduct gives rise to a presumption of involvement in offences under the Official Secrets Act.
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The Court added in its March 7 order,
“Once this prima facie evidence has been collected by the prosecution, the presumption enshrined under Section 4 of the Official Secrets Act comes into picture,”
The court also noted that Malhotra made a confessional statement, which allegedly led to the discovery of facts relevant to the case.
A travel influencer from Haryana, Malhotra was arrested on May 16, 2025, in a matter registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Official Secrets Act.
Her arrest occurred amid heightened India–Pakistan tensions following the Pahalgam attack. It came shortly after the Indian government declared an official of the Pakistan High Commission “persona non grata” and expelled him on allegations of espionage.
During the bail hearing, Malhotra’s counsel contended that the prosecution had built its case on an imagined narrative and that an unnecessary hype had been created around the YouTuber.
They argued that Malhotra’s two visits to Pakistan and contacts with Pakistan High Commission officials did not, by themselves, constitute an offence.
Regarding claims that she photographed the Pandoh Dam, her counsel maintained the dam was not a prohibited site and that images of it are already publicly available on the relevant department’s website.
The State’s counsel, however, pointed out that Malhotra had reportedly met an official of the Pakistan High Commission who had been declared ‘persona non grata’ by India’s Ministry of External Affairs and expelled on May 14, 2025.
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It was also submitted that she maintained frequent contact via WhatsApp calls and other social platforms with several Pakistani officers.
Given the gravity of the allegations of engaging in anti‑national activities and transmitting sensitive information to a neighbouring country, the court denied bail.
Malhotra was represented by Advocates Ravinder Singh Dhull and Navnit Sharma, while Assistant Advocate General Ramender Singh Chauhan appeared for the State of Haryana.