Kerala Government Invited ‘Spy’ Jyoti Malhotra For Tourism Campaign, RTI Reveals

Jyoti Malhotra, the travel vlogger from Sirsa, Haryana, arrested in May 2025 on espionage charges, was previously hosted by the Kerala government as part of a state-funded tourism promotion campaign. An RTI query has revealed that Malhotra was among 41 influencers invited under the Kerala Tourism Department's outreach initiative aimed at promoting the state globally.

According to a report in Mathrubhumi, the Kerala government covered the travel, accommodation, and food expenses of the influencers and engaged a private agency to assist them in video production. Malhotra, now under investigation for alleged links to Pakistani intelligence, visited Kerala as part of this program before her arrest.

During her state-sponsored visit, Malhotra traveled to Kochi, Kannur, Kozhikode, Alappuzha, Munnar, and Thiruvananthapuram. She created vlogs featuring Theyyam performances and scenic landscapes, which were later shared on her YouTube channel Travel with Jo and other platforms.

The revelation has triggered political backlash, with opposition parties targeting the Left-led Kerala government for failing to vet influencers properly. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla wrote on X: "RTI reveals Pakistani spy Jyoti Malhotra visited Kerala on Left government invite & was state guest in a sense courtesy Tourism Dept. So Bharat Mata is blocked and Pak Spies are given RED CARPET by Left? Tourism Minister Mohammad Riyas is son-in-law of Vijayan. He should be sacked... and investigated."

Tourism Minister PA Mohammed Riyas defended the campaign, stating that Malhotra was one of many influencers invited to promote Kerala. "Everything was done transparently and in good faith. No one could have foreseen this. This is not a government that facilitates espionage," he said. He dismissed the controversy as "pure propaganda" and said the government "would never knowingly invite a spy."

Malhotra was arrested following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. Haryana Police later said she was being groomed as an asset by Pakistani intelligence. Agencies are now investigating whether her travel videos were used as a cover to gather sensitive information. Notably, she visited Pakistan shortly before the Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 civilians. A viral video of her shopping in Lahore surrounded by armed men with AK-47s suggested she had access to high-level protection in Pakistan - far beyond what is typical for a vlogger.

Investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of her alleged espionage activities.