Recently, Telangana-based Telugu YouTuber and travel vlogger Bayya Sandeep Yadav alias Bayya Sunny Yadav has been taken into custody by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Chennai Police. It seems that Sunny Yadav was taken into custody when he went to the house of fellow YouTuber Cherry in Chennai. Sunny Yadav is the son of Ravinder Yadav from Nalgonda district. Police sources say that this vlogger, who travels around the world on a bike, recently went to Pakistan. Media sources say that Sunny, who visited tourist places there, is accused of meeting Zakir Naik, who has links with terrorists. It is also reported that Sunny has close relations with Indian YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested recently. It is believed that Sunny was arrested only after the NIA gathered sufficient evidence to prove that he was participating in video conferences held with her and some suspected Terrorists from Pakistan.
Pakistani Social Media Traps!
How Pakistani terrorist groups are trapping Indian YouTubers and social media handlers through honey traps or various means…? How YouTubers like Jyoti Malhotra, Bayya Sunny Yadav are becoming pawns in the conspiracy of terrorist forces...? How YouTubers and social media handlers are being trapped by Pakistani terrorist groups and ISI, especially in the wake of the arrests of people like Jyoti Malhotra, Sunny Yadav, some key things to note…
Honey Trap:
This is one of the most common and effective methods. Pakistani intelligence agencies (especially ISI) use attractive women (sometimes men too) on social media (like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, dating apps) to target young Indian men, especially those with public connections or who may be able to gather information.
They befriend them and have emotional or sexual relationships. Once trust is established, they are pressured to collect confidential information or engage in anti-national activities. Sometimes they blackmail them by threatening to leak intimate videos and photos.
In the Jyoti Malhotra case, she is alleged to have had close relations with Pakistani intelligence officer Ali Hassan and even travelled to Bali, Indonesia. This falls under the category of a honey trap.
Financial Lures:
Sometimes, they target those who are in need of money. They lure them with promises of large sums of money, foreign trips, expensive gifts, etc.
They can be involved in online betting apps or other illegal businesses and then use the money earned through them to blackmail them. Since Sunny Yadav has been in a betting app promotion case in the past, this could also be a way.
Political or Religious Ideology:
Some YouTubers or social media handlers promote certain ideologies in their videos. Such people can be identified, their ideology can be changed in their favour and incited to engage in anti-national activities.
Some youths are influenced to increase dissatisfaction with the country and support or provide information to terrorist groups.
Travel Vloggers Are Soft Targets:
Travel vloggers often travel to different countries. They can use this opportunity to lure them to go to Pakistan and trap them there. They can pretend to be hosted in Pakistan, bring them under their control and pressure them to gather information about Indian military bases or other sensitive areas. In the case of Sunny Yadav, his repeated visits to Pakistan and his being under NIA investigation fall into this category.
How Are They Becoming Pawns?
Some youth choose the wrong path with the desire to get more subscribers, views and popularity on social media. They may go to Pakistan thinking that they will get more publicity by making videos.
In the quest to earn money, they hope to get more money in a short time and get caught in this spy trap.
Some people get caught innocently, not understanding the motives and serious consequences behind this trapping. They think that there is no danger to them and agree to the trips and introductions.
They are overconfident that they do not need to trust anyone with their intelligence and that they cannot trap anyone. However, organizations like ISI act very strategically.
Once trapped, they are blackmailed and pressured to commit anti-national activities. Even if they want to get out, they are threatened and made impossible.
YouTubers like Jyoti Malhotra and Sunny Yadav are facing NIA investigation as their trips to Pakistan, contacts with people there, and promotion of betting apps are linked to matters related to national security. These incidents suggest that social media users and content creators should be vigilant, be wary of unknown people, and especially refuse temptations coming from foreign individuals or organizations. There should be no compromise on matters related to national security.