Espionage Case: Jyoti Malhotra’s Alleged Kerala Govt Links Under Scanner
By : Krishna Mishra
Jyoti Malhotra, a travel vlogger from Haryana now facing espionage charges, was officially hosted by the Kerala Tourism Department as part of its influencer campaign between January 2024 and May 2025, according to an RTI reply.
Amid a political row following the revelations, State Tourism Minister PA Mohammed Riyas criticised the media coverage, pointing out that no government would "knowingly invite such people."
Haryana-based travel vlogger Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested in May on charges of spying for Pakistan, was hosted by the Kerala Tourism Department as part of its influencer collaboration initiative, according to a document obtained through a Right to Information (RTI) request.
The document confirms that Malhotra visited several destinations across Kerala - including Kannur, Kozhikode, Kochi, Alappuzha, and Munnar - under a state-funded campaign aimed at promoting tourism on social media.
Her name features on the department’s official list of influencers who collaborated with Kerala Tourism between January 2024 and May 2025.