Is Another YouTuber in Police Custody? Punjab Police Links Suspect to Jyoti Through Pakistani Officials

Chandigarh, June 4 (NationPress) In a major development in the fight against espionage networks that jeopardize national security, the Punjab Police's State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) SAS Nagar has apprehended a YouTube creator on charges of espionage for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), stated the Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab, Gaurav Yadav, on Wednesday.

The individual arrested, identified as Jasbir Singh, known as Jaan Mahal (41), hails from Mahlan village in Rupnagar. He has been running a YouTube channel titled 'JaanMahal Video', boasting over 1.1 million subscribers, where he primarily shares travel and cooking vlogs.

DGP Yadav revealed that Jasbir Singh has connections with a Pakistani Intelligence Operative (PIO) named Shakir, alias Jutt Randhawa, who is part of a terror-linked espionage ring.

Moreover, he maintained a close relationship with Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who was previously detained for espionage by Haryana Police, and Ehsan-ur-Rahim, alias Danish, a Pakistani national and former official of the Pakistani High Commission.

The DGP noted that investigations have shown that Jasbir attended the Pakistan National Day celebration in Delhi at Danish's invitation, where he interacted with Pakistani Army officials and vloggers.

Additionally, the accused traveled to Pakistan on three occasions in 2020, 2021, and 2024, establishing direct contact with ISI agents, who subsequently groomed and enlisted him for espionage tasks within India, he added.

According to the DGP, following Jyoti Malhotra's arrest, Jasbir attempted to eliminate all evidence of his communications with these PIOs to evade detection.

Ongoing investigations aim to dismantle the larger espionage-terror network and identify all accomplices, he stated.

Detailing the operation, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), stationed in SAS Nagar, Dr. Ravjot Grewal, mentioned that police teams acted on credible information indicating that Jasbir Singh was in contact with several entities based in Pakistan, including ISI agents, and had been providing sensitive information regarding the movements of the Indian Army and other internal affairs to the neighboring country.

Swiftly responding, police teams initiated an intel-driven operation, apprehending the suspect and seizing his mobile device, AIG Grewal confirmed.

She noted that approximately 150 Pakistani phone numbers have been retrieved from the initial mobile phone forensics of the arrest. These include contacts of ISI operatives, officials from the Pakistan High Commission, and other entities based in Pakistan.

In an effort to cover his tracks, the accused deleted critical digital evidence, including chats, contact lists, and documents exchanged with Pakistani Intelligence handlers from his mobile device, AIG stated, adding that technical recovery and forensic analysis are in progress to retrieve lost data and information disseminated through him.

She further mentioned that investigations have indicated that Jasbir utilized the YouTube channel as a facade to convey sensitive details about the Indian Army's movements and operations to his Pakistani handlers.

AIG revealed that Jasbir was introduced to Jyoti Malhotra through officials from the Pakistan High Commission at a 2024 event, and both had visited Pakistan together.

Ongoing investigations are focused on identifying potential accomplices, tracking digital communications, and uncovering foreign linkages, she added.

Meanwhile, a case has been filed under Sections 152 and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Official Secrets Act at a police station in SAS Nagar.

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