Jyoti Malhotra, a travel vlogger from Sirsa, Haryana, was recently arrested for spying. Before this, she was invited by the Kerala government as part of a tourism campaign to promote the state. According to a report by Mathrubhumi, an RTI (Right to Information) reply showed that Kerala paid for trips of 41 influencers to promote Kerala as a tourist spot. The government covered their travel, stay, and food. A private agency helped them make videos. Jyoti Malhotra was one of these influencers.

After this came out, opposition parties criticized the Kerala government. Kerala Tourism Minister PA Mohammed Riyas said Jyoti was invited along with others to promote Kerala and that everything was done openly and honestly. He said the government did not help anyone do spying and no one could have predicted this. He also said the accusations against the government are just "propaganda" and they would never knowingly invite a spy.

Opposition parties, including Congress and BJP, have attacked the Left government in Kerala. They are asking why the government did not properly check the backgrounds of influencers before inviting them. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla posted on X (Twitter) criticizing the government. He said, "A Pakistani spy was invited as a guest, while patriots are blocked. The Tourism Minister should be sacked and investigated." He also pointed out that the minister, Mohammad Riyas, is the son-in-law of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

During her Kerala trip, Jyoti Malhotra visited places like Kochi, Kannur, Kozhikode, Alappuzha, Munnar, and Thiruvananthapuram. She made travel videos on Theyyam performances and Kerala’s scenic spots. These videos were shared on her YouTube channel “Travel with Jo” and on social media. Jyoti had come to Kerala before she was accused of spying. She was arrested in May 2025 after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. Haryana Police later said Pakistani agencies were training her to work for them.

A video showed her shopping in Lahore, Pakistan, with heavy security guards holding AK-47 guns, which showed she was treated very differently from a normal travel vlogger. Now, agencies are checking if her travel videos were actually a cover to collect secret information. Police also found that she visited Pakistan shortly before the Pahalgam attack, where 26 people were killed.