The father of Jyoti Malhotra, a YouTuber from Hisar, Haryana, who was recently arrested on allegations of spying for Pakistan, has come forward to defend his daughter. Haris Malhotra questioned the basis of the case, asserting his daughter's innocence and the legitimacy of her travels.

Jyoti Malhotra, who runs the YouTube channel "Travel with Jo" with nearly 4 lakh subscribers, was taken into custody by Haryana police based on intelligence inputs suggesting her involvement in espionage activities. According to Hisar Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kamaljeet, authorities recovered "suspicious material" from her devices, including communications and digital evidence allegedly shared with Pakistani officials. She has been booked under the Official Secrets Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and is currently on a 5-day remand for further investigation.

Haris Malhotra, in his defense, stated that his daughter visited Pakistan to create content for her YouTube channel and followed the due process for obtaining necessary permissions. "She made YouTube videos. She used to visit Pakistan and other places. If she has some friends there, can't she call them?" he questioned, expressing his concern over the police action against his family. He further added that the police had taken their phones, passports, laptops, and bank documents and pleaded for their return.

During preliminary interrogation, Jyoti reportedly confessed to meeting a Pakistani national named Ahsan-ur-Rahim, also known as "Dan," at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi in 2023 while applying for a visa. Following the meeting, she allegedly traveled to Pakistan. DSP Kamaljeet revealed that "suspicious things" were retrieved from her mobile and laptop, stating, "We have received some suspicious things after we recovered her mobile and laptop. We have taken her on a 5-day remand, and further investigation is on. She was in continuous contact with a Pakistani citizen."

Adding to the controversy, it has been noted that Jyoti frequently attended Iftar parties at the Pakistan High Commission and shared posts on her social media, even calling Lahore the 'culture heart of Pakistan'.

An Indian man reported Jyoti's "connection to Pakistan" a year ago to NIA as he found her social media activities suspicious.

Meanwhile, Odisha Police have also started investigating a Puri-based YouTuber's possible connection with Jyoti Malhotra, who visited Puri in September 2024 and met the local YouTuber. The Puri woman also traveled to Kartarpur Sahib. Her father stated that his daughter has no involvement in anti-national activities and was unaware of Malhotra's alleged espionage.