India News | Strong Action Will Be Taken if Any Odisha Link with Espionage for Pakistan is Found: Minister

Bhubaneswar, May 19 (PTI) Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Monday said strict legal action will be taken if anyone is found leaking sensitive information to operatives in Pakistan.

Harichandan's statement came amid police investigation into the potential links between a Puri-based YouTuber and Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested on the charge of passing on sensitive information to Pakistani intelligence operatives.

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Speaking to reporters here, he said the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is conducting the probe on sharing sensitive information with the neighbouring country.

"Anyone found connected to this network will face investigation. Strict action will be taken against those involved -- whether they were directly involved in espionage or were assisting such activities in any form. No one will be spared," the minister asserted.

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When asked about possible links of the Odisha YouTuber in the alleged espionage case, he said, "If at all there is a link, the NIA will do its job properly. If any link is established, the matter will be taken very seriously and the situation will be dealt with accordingly."

"YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested by Haryana Police, had visited Jagannath temple in Puri, besides Konark and Chilka in Odisha. She was in touch with an Odisha-based YouTuber. We are verifying the facts and nothing substantial has come out till now," IGP, Crime Branch, Sarthak Sarangi said.

After the matter came to the fore, in a social media post, the woman YouTuber from Puri said, "Jyoti was just a friend of mine, and I came in contact with her through YouTube. I was unaware of anything which she is accused of. I would not have been in touch with her had I known that she was spying for enemy Pakistan."

"If any investigative agency wishes to cross-question me, I would provide full cooperation. Nation is above all. Jai Hind," she wrote in an Instagram post.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)