Overview
- The Supreme Court, which denied bail on Friday, June 5, 2026, dismissed Jyoti Malhotra’s petition and upheld the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s March 7 order refusing release.
- Malhotra was arrested on May 16, 2025 after an FIR in Hisar and is charged under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act and Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita as the case proceeds to trial.
- Haryana Police’s Special Investigation Team filed a nearly 2,500-page chargesheet in August 2025 that names Pakistan-linked operatives and relies heavily on digital-forensic findings and financial records.
- Investigators say forensic analysis of her devices shows repeated deletion of chats, regular contact with a Pakistan High Commission staffer later declared persona non grata, and the sharing of video footage of strategic sites such as Pandoh Dam.
- The refusal of bail keeps Malhotra in custody while prosecutors prepare for trial and highlights how courts weigh national-security claims against bail rights and the growing role of social-media forensics in such cases.