Kerala Govt Under Fire After Alleged Pakistani Spy Jyoti Malhotra Was Invited As Tourism Influencer
A major controversy has erupted in Kerala after it was revealed that travel vlogger Jyoti Malhotra, now facing serious espionage charges, was part of a state-funded influencer campaign aimed at boosting tourism. The 33-year-old content creator from Sirsa, Haryana, was one of 41 influencers invited by the Kerala Tourism Department to promote the state as a global destination.
RTI Exposes State-Funded Trip of Influencers, Including Malhotra
A Mathrubhumi report based on an RTI query disclosed that the Kerala government had covered the travel, accommodation, and food expenses for all selected influencers. A private agency was also engaged to assist them in filming content. Among those invited was Jyoti Malhotra, who later became the subject of a high-profile espionage probe following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
Malhotra's participation in the campaign, which occurred before the allegations surfaced, has led to sharp criticism from opposition parties questioning the state’s due diligence process.
Kerala Tourism Minister Defends Move, Calls Allegations “Propaganda”
Tourism Minister PA Mohammed Riyas responded to the backlash, stating, “This was part of a larger influencer campaign aimed at promoting Kerala. Everything was done transparently and in good faith.” He added, “This is not a government that facilitates espionage. The media must understand how government systems work. No one could have foreseen this.”
Rejecting the accusations, Riyas said the state government would “never knowingly invite a spy” and dismissed the criticism as “pure propaganda.”
BJP, Congress Slam State Govt for Lapses
The BJP and Congress seized the moment to attack the Left government. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said 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?... He [Riyas] should be sacked.. and investigated.”
During her state-sponsored trip, Malhotra travelled across Kerala—visiting Kochi, Kannur, Kozhikode, Alappuzha, Munnar, and Thiruvananthapuram—filming Theyyam performances and scenic locations. Her videos were shared on her YouTube channel Travel with Jo and other platforms.
Following her arrest in May 2025, authorities revealed that Malhotra had been in Pakistan shortly before the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 people. Haryana Police stated she was being cultivated by Pakistani intelligence. A video showing her shopping in Lahore flanked by men with AK-47s raised further concerns about her ties to state agencies.
As investigators now explore whether her travel vlogs served as a cover for intelligence gathering, Kerala’s influencer program is under intense scrutiny—with political repercussions mounting rapidly.
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