A shocking revelation has surfaced regarding Haryana-based vlogger Jyoti Malhotra, who was recently arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan. An RTI document now confirms that Jyoti had visited Kerala at the official invitation of the state government. Her trip was part of a promotional campaign organised by the Tourism Department, which is headed by Minister Mohammed Riyas, son-in-law of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Jyoti Malhotra’s name appears on the official list of social media influencers who were engaged to promote Kerala tourism. Her travel across the state, including Kannur, Kozhikode, Kochi, Alappuzha, and Munnar, was funded entirely by the Tourism Department.
The list of vloggers who collaborated with the department from January 2024 to May 2025 has now been made public. Allegations have emerged that Malhotra used these government-sponsored trips as a cover for her espionage activities on behalf of Pakistan, effectively completing her mission at the expense of the state government.
It has since been revealed that the 33-year-old had made multiple visits to Pakistan and maintained close ties with the Pakistani intelligence agency, ISI. She also reportedly had contacts within the Pakistan High Commission. Following these disclosures, an official from the High Commission was expelled by the Indian government. There are strong indications that Jyoti was working as a spy for the ISI.
The Kerala Tourism Department had not only extended an invitation to her as a content creator but also provided for her travel, accommodation, and expenses. The stated purpose was to utilise her reach as a social media influencer to help revive Kerala’s tourism sector. In total, 41 influencers, including Jyoti Malhotra, were hosted under this initiative.
However, the question remains: why was a person later arrested on charges of endangering national security given unrestricted access to travel across Kerala under official patronage?
Jyoti Malhotra, who commands over 3 lakh followers on YouTube, is reported to have filmed at several strategic and sensitive locations in Kerala. Investigative agencies have collected detailed information on these visits, though none of it has yet been made public. Her videos featured locations such as Cochin Shipyard, Mattancherry, places of worship, heritage monuments, shopping malls, and metro stations.
Her Kerala travel series includes extensive footage from Kochi, showcased in a vlog over half an hour long. She also published another video featuring prominent tourist destinations like Eravikulam National Park, Thekkady, Alappuzha (houseboat ride), Kovalam, Jatayuppara, Varkala, and Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station.
Other destinations she visited included the Kuthampully Weaving Village in Thrissur and major tourist spots in Kannur, Kozhikode, and Athirappilly. While her travel appeared innocuous at the time, the revelation of her connections to Pakistan’s intelligence agency has raised serious concerns over the potential misuse of such access.
The revelation that a suspected ISI agent was officially invited and sponsored by the Kerala government to travel extensively across the state raises grave national security concerns.
