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A Haryana court on Wednesday denied bail to YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested on May 17 on allegations of spying for Pakistan, The Indian Express reported.
Malhotra filed a bail petition on Tuesday, a day after her judicial custody was extended till June 23.
She has been charged under sections of the Official Secrets Act pertaining to espionage and wrongful communication of information for the benefit of a foreign power, and a provision of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita that penalises acts that endanger the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India.
The police said that Malhotra received a visa to travel to Pakistan in 2023 and travelled there twice. During one of her trips, she was introduced to two Pakistani intelligence officials – Shakir and Rana Shahbaz.
The vlogger allegedly shared sensitive information about key Indian installations with the Pakistani officials. She also continued meeting Danish during this time, the police alleged.
On Wednesday, Malhotra’s lawyer challenged the charges listed in the first information report against her, arguing that the prosecution failed to present any strong evidence linking her to the alleged espionage activities, The Indian Express reported.
The lawyer pointed out that Malhotra’s visit to the Pakistani High Commission occurred in 2023, before the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita came into effect and when the Indian Penal Code was still applicable.
Malhotra’s counsel also argued that the FIR’s inclusion of Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, previously Section 124A or sedition under the Indian Penal Code, was invalid, as the Supreme Court had put that section on hold.
According to the Hisar Police, while Jyoti had no access to official defence information, she was in touch with individuals known to be linked with Pakistani intelligence, The Indian Express reported.
Besides charges of espionage, Malhotra was also accused of allegedly promoting a favourable image of Pakistan through her content.
In the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, at least 16 persons were arrested across the country on allegations of spying for Pakistan and leaking sensitive information about Operation Sindoor.
This article first appeared on Scroll.in
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