Jyoti Malhotra, held for espionage, was Kerala tourism guest: RTI

Thiruvananthapuram: Jyoti Malhotra, a 33-year-old vlogger from Haryana recently arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan, had previously visited Kerala on an official invitation from the state government.

An RTI response has revealed that Malhotra was part of a tourism promotion campaign organised by the Kerala Tourism Department.

According to the document, Jyoti Malhotra was among several social media influencers sponsored by the department to boost Kerala’s visibility as a travel destination.

Her itinerary, funded by the state, included visits to Kannur, Kozhikode, Kochi, Alappuzha, and Munnar.

The list of influencers who collaborated with the Tourism Department from January 2024 to May 2025 confirms Malhotra’s participation in the campaign.

Investigations have found that Malhotra had travelled to Pakistan multiple times and maintained contacts with officials from Pakistani intelligence agencies, including personnel from the Pakistani High Commission.

Jyoti Malhotra is one of 12 individuals arrested so far across Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh as part of a larger crackdown on an emerging spy ring that allegedly targets Indian digital influencers to collect intelligence.