**YouTuber Jasbir Singh Mahal’s Police Custody Extended in Espionage Case**
A Mohali court has extended the police custody of Punjab-based YouTuber Jasbir Singh Mahal by two days. Mahal, who was arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan in connection with the Jyoti Malhotra espionage case, was presented in court after his initial three-day police remand expired. While the police requested a seven-day remand, the court granted only two additional days.
Jasbir Singh, 41, hails from Mahlan village in Punjab’s Rupnagar district and operates the YouTube channel “Jaan Mahal,” which boasts over 1.1 million subscribers. He was taken into custody by the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) in Mohali on Wednesday, following actionable intelligence.
Singh is the second digital content creator to be arrested in recent weeks, following Haryana-based Jyoti Malhotra, with whom he reportedly maintained regular contact. During the court hearing, Singh’s attorney, Mohit Dhupar, argued that his client had been summoned by the Haryana Police on June 6 to assist in the investigation but was instead arrested by Punjab Police. Dhupar suggested that Punjab Police may have felt it would be an embarrassment if Haryana Police made the arrest.
Dhupar also refuted claims that Singh was spying for Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), stating, “Many people have visited Pakistan multiple times. Does that make them guilty?” He further denied allegations that Singh’s phone contained 150 contacts linked to Pakistan.
The accusations against Singh stem from his alleged close association with Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested last month on similar charges. Following Singh’s arrest, an old video surfaced in which he praised Pakistani police officers during a visit to the country. Reports indicate that Singh received high-level security from Pakistani authorities during his visits, a privilege not typically afforded to regular vloggers.
According to Punjab Police, Singh was in contact with Ehsan-ur-Rahim, also known as Danish, an ISI handler associated with the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi. Danish had previously “recruited” Malhotra as an intelligence asset. Officials noted that Singh attended a Pakistan National Day celebration at the Pakistani Embassy in Delhi, where he interacted with Pakistani military personnel and other vloggers. He has reportedly traveled to Pakistan three times—in 2020, 2021, and 2024.
To date, Punjab Police have arrested seven individuals for alleged espionage activities linked to Pakistan. Recent arrests include Falaksher Masih and Suraj Masih from Ajnala in Amritsar, as well as Guzala and Yameen Mohamad from Malerkotla. Two additional suspects, Sukhpreet Singh and Karanbir Singh, were apprehended in Gurdaspur for sharing sensitive military information with the ISI.
**FAQ**
**Q: What are the charges against Jasbir Singh Mahal?**
A: Jasbir Singh Mahal is accused of spying for Pakistan and maintaining connections with individuals involved in espionage activities, including Jyoti Malhotra.