
Kerala Tourism courts row after roping in YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra for tourism promotion
According to a reply by Kerala Tourism to an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Tourism department made use of the services of 41 selected social media influencers for the promotion of the State. The 41 selected influencers also toured the State during the period between January 1 and May 21, 2025.
The invitation to Ms. Malhotra was extended by Kerala Tourism, and she had visited various tourist destinations in Kannur, Kozhikode, Kochi, Alappuzha, and Munnar. The department had footed the bills for her stay and travel apart from the engagement rate fixed for availing her service.
For six days
According to a statement issued by the office of Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas on Sunday, she was part of the media familiarisation (FAM) trip conducted by Kerala Tourism, and she had stayed here for about six days between January 15 and 21, 2025. When Ms. Malhotra, with 392k followers on social media, was selected for the promotional tour by the empanelled marketing agencies, there was no case charged against her by any of the enforcement agencies in India.
To date, Kerala had made use of the services of over 500 vloggers during the last 15 years as part of tourism promotion campaigns like Blog Express, Keralam Kanam, My First Trip, Human by Nature, Land of Harmony, etc. Ms. Malhotra's service was also used by other States for promotional activities. The only thing Kerala Tourism could ensure during the time of selecting the social media influencers was that they were not charged with any cases during the time of selection.
'Thwarting progress'
The present controversy is aimed at thwarting the progress and reputation of Kerala as a safe, secure, and beautiful destination in the country, said the statement.
Earlier, an AI-generated picture of the grounded F-35B of the U.K. at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport used by the Kerala Tourism for the promotion of the State went viral on social media.
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Mint
3 hours ago
- Mint
‘Pakistan spy' Jyoti Malhotra visited Kerala on govt invitation, reveals RTI; state tourism min reacts
Jyoti Malhotra, a 33-year-old vlogger from Haryana recently arrested on charges of espionage for Pakistan, had earlier visited Kerala on an official invitation from the state government, said an RTI (Right to Information) reply that has now surfaced. Malhotra was part of a tourism promotion campaign organised by the Kerala Tourism Department, which funded a group of social media influencers to enhance the state's digital visibility as a travel destination, ANI reported. The RTI response confirms that Malhotra's travel, stay, and itinerary expenses were fully covered by the department during her visit, according to a report by ANI. As per official records, Jyoti Malhotra toured Kannur, Kozhikode, Kochi, Alappuzha, and Munnar between 2024 and 2025 under the government's influencer collaboration initiative. Her participation was listed alongside several other digital creators active between January 2024 and May 2025. Investigations have since revealed that Malhotra had travelled to Pakistan multiple times and had established contacts with officials from Pakistani intelligence agencies, including personnel from the Pakistan High Commission. One such official was later expelled by India after their association came to light, ANI reported. Kerala Tourism Minister P A Mohammed Riyas on Sunday said that the Left government in the state and its ministers would never "knowingly" invite spies here and provide them with all facilities. Riyas remarked in response to reporters' queries regarding BJP leader K Surendran's allegation that social media influencer Jyoti Malhotra, who was arrested in May on suspicion of spying for Pakistan, was invited to Kerala to promote tourism in the state. Surendran, in a post on social media platform 'X', also referred to an RTI reply confirming such an invitation to Malhotra and questioned why 'a Pak-linked spy's trip' was sponsored by Kerala Tourism. One of her earlier viral clips shows her dressed in a traditional Kerala sari while attending a Theyyam performance in Kannur, highlighting her role in cultural and tourism-focused content creation. Malhotra is among 12 individuals arrested in a coordinated crackdown across Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, targeting a suspected spy network accused of using Indian social media influencers to gather intelligence. The Left government in the state and its ministers would never 'knowingly' invite spies here. Her YouTube channel, Travel with Jo, features 487 videos, including travel content from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Thailand. Key Takeaways Government initiatives can unintentionally invite scrutiny when involving individuals with controversial backgrounds. The importance of thorough vetting in influencer collaborations for public campaigns. Understanding the implications of social media influencers in national security contexts.
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First Post
4 hours ago
- First Post
Jyoti Malhotra, accused of spying for Pakistan, toured Kerala on govt invite to boost tourism: RTI
Jyoti Malhotra, a popular 33-year-old travel vlogger from Haryana, who was recently arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan, was previously involved in a Kerala government tourism campaign, an RTI reply has revealed. read more Jyoti Malhotra, a 33-year-old travel vlogger from Haryana who was recently arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan, had previously worked with the Kerala Tourism Department as part of an official digital campaign, a newly released RTI response has revealed. Malhotra, who runs the YouTube channel Travel with Jo, was among several social media influencers invited by Kerala between 2024 and 2025 to promote the state as a global tourist destination. Her travel, stay, and itinerary were fully funded by the Kerala government under its influencer partnership programme to boost digital tourism outreach. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The RTI reply shows that Malhotra toured major tourist spots like Kannur, Kozhikode, Kochi, Alappuzha, and Munnar, filming content for her YouTube audience. One of her viral videos showed her wearing a traditional Kerala sari while attending a Theyyam performance in Kannur. However, her arrest has cast a shadow over the initiative. Indian intelligence agencies allege Malhotra travelled to Pakistan several times and established contacts with individuals linked to Pakistani intelligence, including staff at the Pakistan High Commission in India. One such official has been expelled from the country following the revelations. Her arrest is part of a larger crackdown by central agencies on an alleged espionage network spread across several Indian states. So far, 12 people have been arrested from Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh in what authorities describe as a covert effort by foreign intelligence to use digital platforms and influencer networks for gathering sensitive information. Malhotra's case has sparked serious concerns about security checks and vetting procedures for people involved in government-backed campaigns. Her YouTube channel, featuring 487 videos from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, and various Indian states, is now under investigation for possible intelligence links disguised as travel content.


India.com
5 hours ago
- India.com
RTI Reveals Kerala Govt Sponsoring Visit Of Spy Suspect Jyoti Malhotra
New Delhi: The Kerala government has come under heavy fire after it was revealed that Jyoti Malhotra, a social media influencer recently arrested on espionage charges, had visited the state as part of a government-sponsored tourism promotion campaign. Malhotra, a Haryana-based vlogger, is now accused of leaking sensitive information to Pakistan. Shockingly, her entire trip across Kerala was facilitated and funded by the state's Tourism Department under an official influencer outreach initiative. Documents obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act confirm that her travel, accommodation, food, and even filming arrangements were handled by a private agency contracted by the department. She was among 41 influencers selected to promote Kerala as a global tourist destination. During her multi-city visit, Malhotra toured Kochi, Kannur, Kozhikode, Alappuzha, Munnar, and Thiruvananthapuram. She arrived in Kerala via Kannur airport after travelling from Delhi to Bengaluru. Her vlogs included visuals of Theyyam performances and scenic locations, all of which were shared on her YouTube channel Travel with Jo and other social media platforms. She eventually returned to Delhi by train. At the time of her visit, no suspicions had been raised regarding her activities. However, her arrest in May 2025 under the Official Secrets Act has now cast a shadow over the episode. Central intelligence agencies are probing whether her video content may have served as a cover for intelligence-gathering. Investigators are also examining whether she accessed strategically sensitive locations or communicated with Pakistani handlers during her stay. Adding to the growing alarm, Haryana Police have confirmed that Malhotra had visited Pakistan shortly before the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir - raising serious questions about her potential ties to ISI operatives. Amid the controversy, Kerala's Tourism Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas defended the decision to bring Malhotra to the state. He insisted that the program was launched with good intentions and followed the precedents set by previous governments. 'This was part of a larger influencer campaign aimed at promoting Kerala. Everything was done transparently and in good faith,' Riyas said. 'This is not a government that facilitates espionage. The media must understand how government systems work. No one could have foreseen this.' However, opposition parties were quick to respond. Both the Congress and the BJP criticised the state's failure to conduct adequate background checks on the influencers invited under official programs. They demanded accountability for what they termed a 'serious lapse in judgment' that could have had national security implications. The ongoing investigation has triggered a wider debate on the intersection of tourism promotion and national security. Many are now calling for more rigorous vetting procedures for individuals participating in government-sponsored initiatives, especially those involving sensitive travel routes or infrastructure. With Malhotra still in custody and the probe expanding, the Kerala government finds itself on the defensive, scrambling to contain the fallout from what is now being called one of the most embarrassing intelligence lapses linked to a state-sponsored tourism effort.