New Delhi: Jyoti Malhotra, a 33-year-old travel vlogger from Haryana arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan, was previously sponsored by the Kerala Tourism Department as part of its influencer outreach programme, a newly surfaced RTI response has confirmed.
Operating the YouTube channel Travel with Jo, Malhotra was among a curated group of digital influencers invited by the state between 2024 and 2025 to promote Kerala. Her travel, stay, and content creation were fully funded by the government under its digital tourism push.
During the campaign, she visited tourist hubs like Kannur, Kozhikode, Kochi, Alappuzha, and Munnar, creating content that included a viral video of her attending a Theyyam performance in traditional Kerala attire.
Her arrest is linked to a wider intelligence investigation alleging Malhotra made multiple trips to Pakistan and maintained contact with Pakistani intelligence-linked officials, including staff from the Pakistan High Commission—one of whom was later expelled.
Malhotra is one of 12 individuals detained across Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh in an ongoing crackdown on a suspected espionage network allegedly using influencer platforms to gather intelligence.
Her involvement in a government-funded programme has sparked national security concerns, especially around the vetting of digital influencers in state-sponsored campaigns. Her YouTube channel, featuring 487 videos across South Asia, is now under scrutiny for possible intelligence-related content.
