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The Print
08-07-2025
- Politics
- The Print
‘Invited as vlogger, not spy'—Congress-led UDF backs Kerala govt amid row over Jyoti Malhotra's visit
Jyoti Malhotra, known for her YouTube channel Travel with Jo, was arrested in Hisar, Haryana, in May 2025 on charges of espionage under the Official Secrets Act. She allegedly passed on sensitive information to the Pakistani spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in the aftermath of the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack. As the BJP unit in Kerala continues to clamour over the issue, demanding a probe into the state visit by the vlogger, the ruling Left Democratic Front has found support from unexpected quarters. The Opposition in the state, the Congress-led United Democratic Front, has come forward to defend the Pinarayi Vijayan-led state government and Riyas. Thiruvananthapuram: Facing political heat over the visit of influencer Jyoti Malhotra to Kerala in 2024-25, the state's Tourism Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas clarified Tuesday that she was part of a routine Kerala tourism campaign handled by external agencies in the absence of any oversight by his department or by the state government. Kerala assembly Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan, however, said he does not blame the tourism department or Riyas for her visit, asking whether anyone could have known she was a spy when she came to the state in 2024-25, months before her arrest. The Kerala government would not have invited her if it had known that she was a spy, he added. 'When she came, she was invited as a vlogger, not as a spy. Who could have known then that she was a spy?' Satheesan asked. When ThePrint approached the tourism department, it shared a video from a social media account held by Jyoti Malhotra. The video shows her speaking to the BJP leader and former Union minister, V. Muraleedharan, following the inauguration of the second Vande Bharat train in Kerala in September 2023. She visited Kerala to participate in a promotional video during the launch of the train connecting Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram. Then, in 2024 and January 2025, she revisited Kerala. 'How were we supposed to know in January that an issue would arise in May? The central agencies that should inform states about such matters also did not alert us,' said Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Mohammed Riyas. Calling the controversy created by the BJP unnecessary and driven by its desire to gain political mileage in Kerala, Mohammed Riyas said Jyoti Malhotra might have visited many other states, including those ruled by the BJP, at the time. 'The practice of bringing influencers from outside for tourism promotion is not new. Empanelled agencies manage the entire programme. The minister or department does not interfere with who the agencies invite, or what they do,' Riyas told reporters Tuesday. On Monday, ANI published an RTI reply, revealing Jyoti Malhotra as among 41 influencers who visited Kerala earlier this year as part of a tourism promotion initiative. Soon after, BJP leaders at the state and national levels began using the information to attack the Kerala government. BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla has accused the Left government of blocking 'Bharat Mata' while giving 'red carpet' treatment to 'Pakistani spies', demanding that Mohammed Riyas resign and face an investigation over the issue. State BJP leader and advocate B. Gopalakrishnan has alleged that there must be some mystery behind Jyoti Malhotra's 'Kerala visit'. 'There is a mystery… Many terrorist outfits have found roots in the state, and the administration has always supported them,' Gopalakrishnan told ThePrint. When asked about the video, Gopalakrishnan added that there was no proof that the BJP called upon Jyoti Malhotra to promote the Vande Bharat train in 2023. Riyas said that he initially felt the matter did not deserve a response, but changed his mind as it triggered 'unnecessary discussions and comments by some senior political leaders'. 'For them, it might suit their political agenda, but for society, it creates an unnecessary perception about Kerala's tourism sector,' he said. (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: Congress alleges Centre & CPIM 'compromise' as RA Chandrasekhar takes charge as Kerala DGP
News18
08-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
'Had No Role': Vijayan Govt On Jyoti Malhotra's Visit To Promote Kerala Tourism
According to the RTI, Malhotra's visit included multiple destinations such as Kochi, Kannur, Kozhikode, Alappuzha, Munnar, and Thiruvananthapuram The Kerala government on Tuesday responded to allegations surrounding the arrest of YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra on espionage charges, clarifying that her visit to the state earlier this year was arranged through a private agency and had no political or security backing from the government itself. Malhotra, a 33-year-old travel vlogger from Hisar, Haryana, who ran the YouTube channel 'Travel with Jo', was arrested on 16 May under the Official Secrets Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). She is accused of spying for Pakistan, with intelligence agencies probing whether she passed on sensitive information under the guise of travel blogging. The controversy erupted after documents obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act revealed that Malhotra was one of 41 influencers invited as part of a government-funded tourism promotion campaign in Kerala. Her travel, accommodation, and filming costs during her stay were covered by a designated public relations agency contracted by Kerala Tourism. Kerala Tourism Minister PA Mohammed Riyas addressed the issue and firmly defended the state's position, stating that the government played no role in the invitation. VIDEO | 'Jyoti Malhotra was invited by the designated agency well before any case against her surfaced, and the Kerala government had no role in selecting influencers", said Tourism Minister Mohammed Riyas. He made the statement in response to allegations regarding the arrest of… — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 8, 2025 'Jyoti Malhotra was invited by the designated agency well before any case against her surfaced, and the Kerala government had no role in selecting influencers," Riyas stated. 'This was part of a larger influencer campaign aimed at promoting Kerala. Everything was done transparently and in good faith," he added. The minister criticised attempts to link the state government to alleged espionage. 'This is not a government that facilitates espionage. The media must understand how government systems work. No one could have foreseen this," Riyas said, referring to the influencer outreach programme that followed standard procedures used by previous administrations. According to the RTI, Malhotra's visit included multiple destinations such as Kochi, Kannur, Kozhikode, Alappuzha, Munnar, and Thiruvananthapuram. She arrived through Kannur airport and later returned to Delhi by train. Her vlogs, featuring Theyyam performances and scenic Kerala backwaters, were shared across social media platforms. Malhotra is currently in judicial custody. Her lawyer, Kumar Mukesh, confirmed that her custody has been extended by 14 days, with the next hearing scheduled for 21 July. She appeared before the court via video conference. (With inputs from agencies) view comments First Published: July 08, 2025, 17:07 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Red carpet for Pak spies': YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra's Kerala trip gives BJP fresh ammo to target Pinarayi govt
A visit to Kerala by YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested on May 16 by the Haryana police on charges of spying for Pakistan, on the state government's invitation, has spiralled into a political row, with the BJP seeking the resignation of Kerala's tourism minister. 'RTI reveals Pakistani spy Jyoti Malhotra visited Kerala on Left government invite and was state guest in a sense courtesy Tourism Department. So Bharat Mata is blocked and Pak spies are given red carpet by Left? Tourism Minister Mohammad Riyas is son-in-law of (CM Pinarayi) Vijayan. He should be sacked and investigated,' BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Jai Hind posted on X on Monday. On Sunday, Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas told the media that vloggers like Jyoti were brought to Kerala with good intentions. 'No government will deliberately bring a spy to the state at its expense,' Riyas said. Senior BJP leader K Surendran also out at the ruling government: 'Pak-spy Jyoti Malhotra's Kannur trip was sponsored by Kerala tourism, run by none other than Pinarayi Vijayan's son-in-law. Why is Kerala rolling out a red carpet for a Pak-linked spy.' Jyoti's channel, Travel with Jo, had a sizable following on YouTube and Instagram, capturing her trips to various locations. The Kerala trip videos were posted in January this year. She was invited to Kerala by the tourism department, which met her expenses during the Kerala sojourn. It was part of the department's tourism promotion activities outside the state. It was Jyoti's two visits to Pakistan – the first in April 2024, when she took a train from Wagah to Lahore, and the other in March this year, over a month before the Pahalgam terror attack – that brought her under official scrutiny, and led to her arrest. According to the police, she allegedly told them that it was in 2023, during a visit to the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi for a travel visa, that she met Ahsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, a now-expelled official at the commission. Danish was declared persona non-grata and expelled from India on May 13 after he was accused of spying. The Hisar Police has alleged that she was found sharing 'sensitive information' with an official of the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi.
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First Post
07-07-2025
- First Post
Jyoti Malhotra, accused of spying for Pakistan, toured Kerala on govt invite to boost tourism: RTI
Jyoti Malhotra, a popular 33-year-old travel vlogger from Haryana, who was recently arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan, was previously involved in a Kerala government tourism campaign, an RTI reply has revealed. read more Jyoti Malhotra, a 33-year-old travel vlogger from Haryana who was recently arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan, had previously worked with the Kerala Tourism Department as part of an official digital campaign, a newly released RTI response has revealed. Malhotra, who runs the YouTube channel Travel with Jo, was among several social media influencers invited by Kerala between 2024 and 2025 to promote the state as a global tourist destination. Her travel, stay, and itinerary were fully funded by the Kerala government under its influencer partnership programme to boost digital tourism outreach. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The RTI reply shows that Malhotra toured major tourist spots like Kannur, Kozhikode, Kochi, Alappuzha, and Munnar, filming content for her YouTube audience. One of her viral videos showed her wearing a traditional Kerala sari while attending a Theyyam performance in Kannur. However, her arrest has cast a shadow over the initiative. Indian intelligence agencies allege Malhotra travelled to Pakistan several times and established contacts with individuals linked to Pakistani intelligence, including staff at the Pakistan High Commission in India. One such official has been expelled from the country following the revelations. Her arrest is part of a larger crackdown by central agencies on an alleged espionage network spread across several Indian states. So far, 12 people have been arrested from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh in what authorities describe as a covert effort by foreign intelligence to use digital platforms and influencer networks for gathering sensitive information. Malhotra's case has sparked serious concerns about security checks and vetting procedures for people involved in government-backed campaigns. Her YouTube channel, featuring 487 videos from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, and various Indian states, is now under investigation for possible intelligence links disguised as travel content.
News18
07-07-2025
- News18
Pakistan Spy Jyoti Malhotra Was Hired By Kerala Tourism, Reveals RTI
According to the RTI reply, Malhotra travelled extensively through key tourist circuits, including Kannur, Kozhikode, Kochi, Alappuzha, and Munnar, documenting her experiences. 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
