Jasbir Singh, a YouTuber from Punjab, has been arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan. Singh, who runs the YouTube channel "Jaan Mahal" with over 1.1 million subscribers, was taken into custody by the Punjab Police on Wednesday. The arrest was made by the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) in Mohali based on intelligence inputs.
According to police reports, Jasbir Singh has close connections with Pakistani intelligence officers, including Shakir alias Jutt Randhawa, an Indian-origin individual believed to be working for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). He also reportedly maintained contact with Ehsan-ur-Rahim, also known as Danish, a former official at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi who had previously been expelled from India over espionage allegations.
Investigations revealed that Singh traveled to Pakistan three times in 2020, 2021, and 2024. He allegedly attended Pakistan's National Day celebration at the Pakistani Embassy in Delhi upon Danish's invitation, where he is said to have met with Pakistani Army officials and vloggers. Authorities are currently conducting a detailed forensic examination of his electronic devices, which contain multiple Pakistan-based phone numbers.
Following the arrest of another YouTuber, Jyoti Malhotra, in connection with the same espionage case, Jasbir Singh allegedly attempted to erase all traces of his communications with Pakistani intelligence operatives (PIOs) to avoid detection.
Jasbir Singh was produced in a Mohali court, which remanded him to police custody for three days. His lawyer, Madhav Shukla, stated that the FIR against Singh includes allegations of receiving foreign funding, having links with the ISI, and possessing sensitive data. Shukla defended Singh, stating that he had always cooperated with the State Special Operations Cell whenever summoned.
The arrest of Jasbir Singh highlights the ongoing concerns about cross-border espionage and the potential misuse of social media platforms for activities against national security. The police are continuing their investigation to uncover the full extent of the network and identify any other individuals involved.
