July 7, 2025: Travel vlogger Jyoti Malhotra, recently arrested on espionage charges, was among 41 influencers invited by the Kerala government as part of its tourism promotion campaign, according to an RTI response. Her visit has triggered a political storm, with opposition parties questioning the due diligence followed by the state government.
Malhotra, a 33-year-old from Sirsa, Haryana, was arrested in May 2025 following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, which exposed links between Pakistani intelligence and operatives inside India. Authorities say she was being groomed by Pakistani agencies, and are investigating whether her travel vlogs may have served as a cover for intelligence gathering.
She visited Kerala before the spying allegations surfaced, covering scenic locales such as Kochi, Munnar, Kozhikode, Alappuzha, and Thiruvananthapuram, documenting cultural experiences including Theyyam performances on her YouTube channel Travel with Jo. Her trip, like those of other influencers, was funded by the Kerala Tourism Department, including travel, stay, and production support.
The BJP and Congress have criticized the Left Front government for allegedly failing to vet influencers properly. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla posted on X, accusing the government of hosting a “Pakistani spy” while restricting nationalist voices.
In response, Kerala Tourism Minister PA Mohammed Riyas clarified, “This was a transparent influencer outreach campaign conducted in good faith. The state government had no prior information of any wrongdoing, and we would never knowingly support espionage.”
The controversy comes amid broader concerns over influencer vetting in state-sponsored campaigns, especially when geopolitical tensions are high.