Row erupts as RTI reveals Jyoti visited Kerala on govt invite

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.

- Agencies

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.

The RTI response confirms that Malhotra’s travel, stay, and itinerary expenses were fully covered by the department during her visit.

‘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.

The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Monday strongly condemned reports that YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, who has been arrested on espionage charges, was invited by the Kerala government for promoting tourism in the state.