On June 4, 2025, Punjab Police arrested Jasbir Singh, a prominent YouTuber from Mahlan village in Rupnagar district, for alleged involvement in a Pakistan-backed espionage network. Singh, who operates the YouTube channel “Jaan Mahal” with over 1.1 million subscribers, was taken into custody by the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) in Mohali .
Authorities revealed that Singh maintained close contact with Haryana-based influencer Jyoti Malhotra, who was previously arrested on similar espionage charges. Investigations indicate that Singh was associated with Shakir alias Jutt Randhawa, a Pakistani intelligence operative, and had interactions with Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, an expelled official from the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi .
Singh reportedly traveled to Pakistan three times between 2020 and 2024, during which he met with Pakistani Army officials and vloggers. Following Malhotra’s arrest, Singh attempted to delete digital evidence linking him to Pakistani handlers, suggesting an awareness of the ongoing investigation .
The arrest underscores growing concerns about the exploitation of digital platforms for espionage activities and highlights the need for heightened vigilance in monitoring online content creators’ associations and activities.
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