Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Police have started an investigation into the alleged links between a Puri-based YouTuber and Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested on the charge of passing on sensitive information to Pakistani intelligence operatives, an officer said on Sunday.

The police found that Jyoti, who runs a YouTube channel, Travel with JO, and hails from Hisar in Haryana, had visited Puri in September 2024 and came in contact with a woman in the coastal town of Puri, Priyanka Senapati, who is also a YouTuber.

Jyoti, whose YouTube channel and Instagram accounts have 3.77 lakh subscribers and 1.33 lakh followers respectively, allegedly was in contact with a Pakistani staffer working at the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi. On May 13, India had expelled that Pakistani official for allegedly indulging in espionage.

The woman in Puri had also travelled to Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara in Pakistan recently, Puri SP Vinit Agrawal said. “We found that Jyoti Malhotra had visited Puri last year, and we are verifying the fact. Anything more can be shared after the verification,” Agrawal said.

Asked whether the woman from Puri had shared intelligence inputs with Jyoti, Agrawal said, “The Haryana Police are investigating the matter and we are providing them the required assistance.” The police are also “examining the objective” of Jyoti’s visit to Puri, and trying to find out “where she stayed, whom she contacted and any possible suspicious activities”, the Puri SP said.

“We are in touch with various Central agencies and Haryana Police. We will share details with the media after field verification,” he said while responding to queries from reporters.

The Puri YouTuber’s father said the police had quizzed her daughter on Saturday and sought some information. A team of police personnel visited the woman’s residence in Puri for an investigation into the matter.

“My daughter came in contact with Jyoti Malhotra as both are YouTubers. As a friendship developed between them, Jyoti visited Puri. As it is a matter of nation’s security, a proper investigation should be carried out. We will cooperate with the police,” he said. “My daughter visited Kartarpur in Pakistan with another friend, not Jyoti, three or four months ago for a pilgrimage. My daughter has no involvement in anti-national activities and was unaware of Jyoti’s alleged espionage,” the Puri YouTuber’s father said.