Chandigarh– Punjab Police have arrested a prominent YouTuber on charges of spying for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), marking a major development in efforts to dismantle espionage networks operating within India.
According to Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, the suspect—identified as 41-year-old Jasbir Singh, alias Jaan Mahal—was arrested by the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) in SAS Nagar. Singh, a resident of Mahlan village in Rupnagar, ran a YouTube channel called JaanMahal Video, which had amassed more than 1.1 million subscribers under the guise of travel and cooking content.
DGP Yadav said Singh had been in close contact with several Pakistani intelligence operatives, including Shakir, alias Jutt Randhawa, a known figure in a terror-linked espionage network. Singh also maintained communication with Jyoti Malhotra, a Haryana-based YouTuber previously arrested on similar spying charges, and with Ehsan-ur-Rahim, alias Danish, a Pakistani national and expelled official of the Pakistani High Commission.
Investigators revealed that Singh attended the Pakistan National Day event in Delhi on Danish’s invitation, where he met with Pakistani Army officers and vloggers. He reportedly traveled to Pakistan in 2020, 2021, and 2024, during which he came into direct contact with ISI officers who are believed to have recruited him for espionage activities inside India.
Following Malhotra’s arrest, Singh attempted to delete all communications with Pakistani intelligence contacts in an effort to evade detection, according to police.
Assistant Inspector General Dr. Ravjot Grewal, also stationed in SAS Nagar, said Singh’s arrest was the result of a targeted intelligence operation. Police recovered his mobile device, which revealed over 150 Pakistani phone numbers, including contacts linked to the ISI and officials from the Pakistan High Commission.
Dr. Grewal added that Singh had deleted sensitive digital evidence such as chats, documents, and contact logs. Forensic teams are currently working to recover the erased data and determine the full extent of the information he may have passed to Pakistan.
Preliminary findings suggest that Singh used his YouTube platform as a cover to collect and transmit sensitive data on Indian Army movements and internal security matters.
Investigators also confirmed that Singh and Malhotra had both attended an event hosted by the Pakistan High Commission in 2024 and had subsequently traveled to Pakistan together.
A broader investigation is underway to identify other collaborators, trace digital communication trails, and explore further foreign links. A case has been registered under Sections 152 and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, at a police station in SAS Nagar. (Source: IANS)
