Punjab YouTuber linked to Pakistan espionage ring: Had 150 Pak numbers on phone, handed laptop to ISI officer
New Delhi: In the latest development in India's crackdown on a suspected espionage network with links to Pakistan, Punjab-based YouTuber Jasbir Singh has emerged as a key figure, having allegedly handed over his laptop to a Pakistani intelligence officer for an hour during one of his visits across the border, media reports said.
According to an NDTV report, Singh, who runs the YouTube channel ‘JaanMahal Video’ with over 11 lakh subscribers, told police during remand that he had travelled to Pakistan six times and had around 150 Pakistani contacts saved in his phone.
He was arrested on June 4 on charges of espionage.
During court proceedings in Mohali, Singh claimed he was introduced to Danish alias Ehsan-ur-Rehman, an Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) operative who served as a visa officer at the Pakistani embassy in Delhi, by a female friend.
According to Singh, Danish asked him to arrange SIM cards, which he complied with.
Danish was expelled from India after his espionage links surfaced during the arrest of YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, another accused in the same network.
Police have also claimed that Singh had direct connections with other ISI operatives and had come into contact with them during his 2020, 2021, and 2024 visits to Pakistan.
He also admitted that former Pakistani cop Nasir Dhillon introduced him to ISI officers in Lahore.
The Punjab police described Singh’s arrest as part of a wider uncovering of a “terror-backed espionage network”, allegedly involving multiple Indian nationals and orchestrated by Pakistan’s intelligence services.
Singh was also reportedly linked to a Pakistan Intelligence Officer Shakir alias Jutt Randhawa.
Singh's YouTube channel features travel and cooking content, but security agencies suspect it may have also served as a front to gather or transmit sensitive information.
He is not the only individual under the scanner.
Several others across states have been arrested in recent months in connection with the same espionage racket.
Davendra Singh Dhillon, a student from Patiala’s Khalsa College, was arrested in Haryana after posting a picture of a pistol online. His interrogation revealed links with Pakistan.
Nauman Ilahi, a 24-year-old security guard in Haryana, was found to be in contact with an ISI handler and had received funds through his brother-in-law’s bank account.
Sahdev Singh Gohil, a 28-year-old health worker from Gujarat, was arrested for sharing sensitive military information with a Pakistani operative.
Arman (23) and Tarif, both from Haryana’s Nuh district, were held in close succession. Tarif was caught attempting to delete messages from Pakistani numbers during the raid.
Shakur Khan, a government employee in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer, was also taken into custody on charges of spying.
Agencies suspect that hundreds of former Pakistani police personnel may be involved in the cross-border intelligence network, which reportedly targets Indian citizens—including YouTubers—to relay sensitive data.
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