RTI reveals Kerala govt invited Pakistan ‘spy’ Jyoti Malhotra for tourism campaign
RTI reveals Kerala govt invited Pakistan ‘spy’ Jyoti Malhotra for tourism campaign
RTI reveals state-funded travel across Kerala for influencer now arrested in espionage case
Jyoti Malhotra, a 33-year-old travel vlogger from Haryana recently arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan, had earlier been officially invited by the Kerala Tourism Department as part of a government-backed digital influencer campaign, an RTI reply has confirmed. Her travels, accommodation, and other expenses during her visit to Kerala between 2024 and 2025 were fully sponsored by the state government.
As part of the influencer programme aimed at promoting Kerala globally, Malhotra known for her YouTube channel Travel with Jo, was one of 41 digital creators selected by the Kerala government to showcase the state’s tourist destinations. She visited Kochi, Kannur, Kozhikode, Alappuzha, Munnar, and Thiruvananthapuram, producing video content highlighting local culture, scenic beauty, and traditional performances. One of her now-viral videos showed her draped in a Kerala sari, attending a Theyyam ritual in Kannur.
Kerala Tourism Minister PA Mohammed Riyas defended the initiative, saying,
“This was part of a wider campaign to boost Kerala’s digital visibility in global tourism. All actions were taken transparently and in good faith. The government had no reason to suspect she was a spy.”
He also dismissed allegations from political opponents as “pure propaganda”, asserting that no government could have foreseen such developments during a cultural tourism drive.
However, the opposition parties have sharply criticised the Left Front government. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla wrote on X:
“RTI reveals Pakistani spy Jyoti Malhotra was state guest in Kerala. So Bharat Mata is blocked and Pak spies are given RED CARPET by Left? Minister Riyas must be sacked and investigated.”
Malhotra’s arrest in May 2025 came in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, a central crackdown on a suspected digital espionage network. According to Haryana Police, Malhotra was being groomed by Pakistani intelligence as a covert asset. A now-surfaced video from Lahore shows her moving freely, surrounded by armed men with AK-47s—further raising suspicions that her travel vlogs were being used as a cover for intelligence-gathering.
Authorities are now examining her YouTube channel, which hosts over 480 videos from across India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Southeast Asia, for potential espionage links. Her arrest is part of a wider probe that has led to the detention of at least 12 individuals across Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, as central agencies investigate how influencer platforms are being manipulated for cross-border spying activities.
The incident has triggered a wider debate on the security vetting protocols for individuals included in government-funded campaigns, especially amid growing evidence that digital influence is becoming a new frontier in covert intelligence operations.
