Rupnagar-based YouTuber sent to judicial custody in espionage case

A Mohali court has sent Rupnagar-based YouTuber Jasbir Singh to judicial custody following the conclusion of his police remand.

Jasbir, arrested on June 4 on charges of espionage for Pakistan’s ISI, was presented in the court this afternoon. The police informed the court that their investigation had been completed and that his further custody was not required.

Initially sent to four-day police remand, Jasbir’s custody was extended by two more days before being sent to judicial custody.

Defence counsel Mohit Dhupar stated Jasbir would be produced in the court again on June 23. “We are not disclosing the timing at this stage, but we will soon discuss and apply for bail,” Dhupar told mediapersons after the hearing.

Jasbir Singh, 41, a resident of Mahlan village in Rupnagar, runs YouTube channel “JaanMahal Video”, which has over 11 lakh subscribers and features videos on travel and food.

According to the police, Jasbir attended Pakistan’s National Day event in Delhi on the invitation of Danish — an expelled Pakistan High Commission official. There he allegedly met Pakistani army officials and vloggers. The authorities claim he travelled to Pakistan three times (in 2020, 2021 and 2024), establishing direct contact with ISI officers, who later recruited him for espionage activities.

Sources indicate that the police are investigating the involvement of a 32-year-old woman who reportedly accompanied Jasbir to the Pakistan embassy in Delhi without an official invitation and later travelled with him to Pakistan. The defence counsel has, however, refuted these allegations.

Jasbir is also suspected of having ties with Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who has already been arrested on spying charges, and Ehsan-ur-Rahim, alias Danish.