Thiruvananthapuram: Vlogger Jyoti Malhotra, who was recently arrested in connection with an espionage case for allegedly spying for Pakistan, had earlier attended the inauguration of the Vande Bharat Express in Kerala.

Amid the controversy, a video has emerged showing her participation in the launch event.

The reports indicate that in 2023, Jyoti Malhotra travelled on the inaugural run of the Vande Bharat Express from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram.

The video also shows her interacting with BJP leader and then Union Minister V. Muraleedharan during the journey.

It had earlier been reported that Malhotra visited Kerala at the invitation of the state government. Information obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act revealed that she was among the social media influencers invited by the Kerala Tourism Department for promotional campaigns.

The RTI documents confirm that she toured destinations like Kannur, Kozhikode, Kochi, Alappuzha, and Munnar, all funded by the tourism department.

BJP state president K. Surendran was the first to criticise the state government for inviting Malhotra, alleging a serious lapse in vetting procedures. The issue later gained national attention, with BJP’s national spokespersons also targeting the Kerala government and Tourism Minister Mohammed Riyas with sharp criticism.