Source : INDIATV NEWS
The expulsion comes after the arrest of YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra and several others on charges of spying for Pakistan amid a crackdown on an espionage network in the country following Indian Armed Forces’ Operation Sindoor and retaliation to Pakistan’s attempted strikes on Indian territory.
India on Wednesday declared another Pakistani official, working at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, persona non grata for indulging in activities not in keeping with his official status in India. The official has been asked to leave India within 24 hours, Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
Charge d’Affaires, Pakistan High Commission, was issued a demarche to this effect today. He was asked to strictly ensure that none of the Pakistani diplomats or officials in India misuse their privileges and status in any manner, it added.
The expulsion comes after the arrest of YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra and several others on charges of spying for Pakistan amid a crackdown on an espionage network in the country following Indian Armed Forces’ Operation Sindoor and retaliation to Pakistan’s attempted strikes on Indian cities and military establishments.
On May 13, the Centre declared another official of the High Commission in New Delhi “persona non grata”, citing activities incompatible with diplomatic protocol.
In a reciprocal move, Pakistan expelled an Indian High Commission staff member in Islamabad, also labelling the individual “persona non grata” and accusing them of engaging in activities “incompatible with his privileged status”.
Espionage network and links with Jyoti Malhotra
According to reports, the expelled Pakistani official has been identified as Ahsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, whose name has surfaced in connection with an ongoing investigation into alleged spy Jyoti Malhotra.
Rahim is suspected of involvement in espionage and is alleged to have leaked sensitive information concerning Indian Army movements.
Malhotra, a YouTuber from Haryana, was arrested in Hisar along with several others for allegedly spying for Pakistan. Authorities claim she was recruited by Pakistani intelligence agents and served as part of a broader intelligence operation.
The First Information Report (FIR) filed against Jyoti Malhotra indicates that she first met Ahsan-ur-Rahim in **2023** at the Pakistani High Commission in Delhi. Investigators allege that he acted as her handler and facilitated her introduction to Pakistani intelligence operatives, further deepening suspicions of a coordinated espionage effort.
The case has added to the already strained diplomatic ties between the two neighbours, with both nations trading expulsions and accusing each other of violating diplomatic norms. The investigation into the alleged spy network is ongoing.
