Another YouTuber With Over a Million Subscribers Arrested in Espionage Case

Jasbir Singh runs a YouTube channel named ‘JaanMahal video’ and has over a million subscribers.

New Delhi: In a major crackdown on espionage networks linked to Pakistan, Punjab Police have arrested Jasbir Singh, a popular YouTuber with over a million subscribers, for allegedly spying and sharing sensitive information with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Singh, who runs the channel ‘JaanMahal Video’, was apprehended in Rupnagar, Punjab.

According to officials, Singh was in contact with a Pakistani ISI officer named Shakir and had travelled to Pakistan three times. During his visits, he allegedly established links with intelligence handlers. Investigators have retrieved several Pakistani phone numbers from his electronic devices. He had also attended a Pakistan National Day event at the Pakistani Embassy in Delhi, further raising suspicion about his connections.

The arrest comes weeks after another YouTuber, Jyoti Malhotra from Haryana, was taken into custody on similar charges. Malhotra, who ran the ‘Travel with Jo’ channel, had also made multiple visits to Pakistan and was allegedly in touch with at least four Pakistani intelligence agents. Investigators unearthed WhatsApp chats indicating her direct communication with ISI handlers, including a message where she allegedly asked for help to get married in Pakistan.

Malhotra now faces charges under the Official Secrets Act and sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita for compromising national integrity and security.

These arrests are part of a broader operation amid increased vigilance following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam and ongoing India-Pakistan tensions. Over a dozen individuals have been arrested across the country on espionage charges in recent months.

Among them is Davendra Singh Dhillon, a student from Khalsa College in Patiala, who was arrested in Haryana after posting images of a pistol on Facebook. During questioning, his alleged links with Pakistani handlers emerged, and he was found to have shared photos of the Patiala military cantonment.

In another case, Nauman Ilahi, a 24-year-old security guard from Haryana, was arrested for maintaining contact with a Pakistani intelligence agent. Authorities found that he received funds via his brother-in-law’s bank account, suspected to be payment for sharing sensitive information.

These developments underscore the growing threat of digital espionage and the use of social media by foreign intelligence agencies to exploit individuals for gathering classified data. Indian security agencies have ramped up surveillance and are closely monitoring suspicious activities across digital platforms.