Pakistan Spy Jyoti Malhotra Was Hired By Kerala Tourism, Reveals RTI
Jyoti Malhotra, a 33-year-old travel vlogger from Haryana who was recently arrested for allegedly spying on behalf of Pakistan, had previously been hired by the Kerala Tourism Department as part of an official digital outreach campaign, a newly surfaced RTI response has confirmed.
Malhotra, known for her YouTube channel Travel with Jo, was among a curated list of social media influencers invited by the state between 2024 and 2025 to promote Kerala as a global travel destination. Her travel, accommodation, and itinerary costs were entirely funded by the Kerala government, under its influencer collaboration programme aimed at boosting the state's digital presence in the tourism sector.
According to the RTI reply, Malhotra travelled extensively through key tourist circuits, including Kannur, Kozhikode, Kochi, Alappuzha, and Munnar, documenting her experiences for her YouTube audience. One of her videos, which had gone viral, featured her draped in a traditional Kerala sari while attending a Theyyam performance in Kannur.
However, her arrest has cast a shadow over the programme, as ongoing investigations by Indian intelligence agencies allege that Malhotra had travelled to Pakistan multiple times, establishing direct contact with officials linked to Pakistani intelligence services, including personnel from the Pakistan High Commission in India. One such official was expelled after the alleged connections came to light.
Malhotra's arrest has raised serious concerns about national security loopholes and the vetting process for individuals participating in government-funded campaigns. Her YouTube channel, which hosts 487 videos, includes content from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, and several Indian states—now under scrutiny for potential intelligence links masked as travel content.
First Published:
July 07, 2025, 10:08 IST
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