Operation Sindoor: YouTuber Jyoti Malhotra, currently in judicial custody for allegedly spying for Pakistan, had previously visited Kerala as an official guest of the state’s tourism department. A Right to Information (RTI) reply has revealed that her travel, accommodation, and promotional expenses during her visit were fully sponsored by the Kerala government. The 33-year-old vlogger was part of a state-run influencer programme aimed at boosting Kerala’s global visibility as a digital travel destination.
Between 2024 and 2025, Malhotra visited tourist hotspots including Kannur, Kochi, Kozhikode, Alappuzha, Munnar, and Thiruvananthapuram. One of her most widely shared videos featured her attending a traditional Theyyam performance draped in a Kerala sari.
Jyoti’s links to Pakistani intelligence
Malhotra was arrested on May 16 from Hisar, Haryana, and booked under the Official Secrets Act. Investigations suggest that she had established contacts with Pakistani intelligence officials, including Ehsan-ur-Rahim alias Danish, a Pakistan High Commission staffer expelled from India days before her arrest. Authorities allege she was being cultivated as an intelligence asset and may have used her travel vlogs as a cover for gathering sensitive information.
Kerala government faces Opposition heat
The revelation has triggered political controversy in Kerala, with opposition parties attacking the ruling Left Front government. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accused the state of giving a “red carpet” welcome to a suspected spy, questioning the lack of background checks. Congress leaders too demanded accountability.
Tourism Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas defended the campaign, saying, “Everything was done transparently and in good faith. No one could have foreseen this. The media must understand how government systems work.” He called the allegations “pure propaganda”.
Jyoti’s judicial custody extended
Malhotra’s custody has been extended multiple times since her initial arrest. On June 23, a Hisar court extended her judicial custody by two more weeks, with the next hearing due on July 7. Her bail plea was earlier rejected by a judicial magistrate on June 12.
Agencies are now probing whether her content creation activities masked espionage-related tasks. A video showing her shopping in Lahore surrounded by armed men has drawn significant scrutiny, suggesting she had unusual access in Pakistan. Notably, she travelled to Pakistan shortly before the Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 civilians dead.
Malhotra is one of 12 people arrested across Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh in an ongoing crackdown on a suspected cross-border intelligence network targeting Indian influencers and social media creators.