The Kerala Tourism Department included Jyoti Malhotra, a 33-year-old travel vlogger from Haryana, in its official digital outreach campaign between 2024 and 2025. Malhotra, who faces arrest for allegedly spying on behalf of Pakistan, featured in the state’s influencer programme to boost tourism. A Right to Information (RTI) reply confirmed that the department fully funded her travel, accommodation, and itinerary as part of a strategy to promote Kerala globally through social media channels.
According to the RTI response, Malhotra travelled across popular Kerala destinations, including Kochi, Alappuzha, Kannur, Munnar, and Kozhikode. She documented these visits for her YouTube channel ‘Travel with Jo.’ One of her widely shared videos captured her attending a Theyyam performance in Kannur while wearing a traditional Kerala sari. Her arrest later cast doubt on the programme, with Indian intelligence agencies alleging that she maintained direct contact with Pakistani intelligence officers during several trips to Pakistan.
Indian agencies stated that Malhotra’s arrest forms part of a larger crackdown on a suspected espionage ring operating in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Investigators claim that she contacted officials from the Pakistan High Commission, one of whom was later expelled. Central agencies have detained 12 individuals linked to this network. Officials believe the group used digital platforms and influencer networks to gather sensitive information under the guise of travel content creation.
Malhotra’s participation in a government-funded tourism campaign has raised concerns over national security and the process of screening public collaborators. Her YouTube channel, which features 487 videos, includes content from countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Thailand. Authorities are now reviewing her content and foreign trips to determine whether they contain intelligence-related material disguised as travel content.
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Swastika Sruti is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX Digital with 5 years of experience shaping stories that matter. She loves tracking politics- national and global trends, and never misses a chance to dig deeper into policies and developments. Passionate about what’s happening around us, she brings sharp insight and clarity to every piece she works on. When not curating news, she’s busy exploring what’s next in the world of public interest. You can reach her at [swastika.newsx@gmail.com]
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