Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis orders probe into YouTuber and Haryana spying accused Jyoti Malhotra’s Mumbai visits

MUMBAI: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered an inquiry following reports about social media influencer Jyoti Malhotra, arrested in Haryana on charges of spying for Pakistan, made multiple visits to Mumbai. CM Fadnavis said, "This is a matter of national security. We will leave no stone unturned. If there has been a breach during high-profile public events, it must be investigated thoroughly."Malhotra reportedly made three separate trips to Mumbai between July and Sept 2024, including a visit during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, when she allegedly took video footage and photographs of sensitive sites.Officials believe Malhotra used the pretext of visiting Lalbaugcha Raja, one of Mumbai's most popular Ganesh mandals, to blend in with crowds and gather visuals from strategic city locations. In July 2024, Malhotra stayed here for several days. Deleted files recovered from her electronic devices show visuals from this visit, including parts of Mumbai and Pahalgam in Jammu & Kashmir. In Aug 2024, she is said to have traveled aboard the Karnavati Express from Ahmedabad, filming railway stations and surrounding infrastructure throughout her journey. Similarly in September 2024, boarding the Punjab Mail from New Delhi, Malhotra referenced its historic route linking Mumbai and Peshawar in a now-deleted social media post, framing it as a "symbol of love across borders.'' tnn