A Right to Information (RTI) reply has revealed that the Kerala Tourism Department, headed by P.A. Mohammed Riyas, the son-in-law of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, fully sponsored the travel and accommodation of Jyoti Malhotra, a Haryana-based YouTuber who is currently under arrest for alleged links with Pakistani intelligence. The revelation has triggered sharp criticism and raised serious concerns over security protocols and political accountability.
An RTI has revealed that Pakistani spy Jyothi Malhotra was sponsored by Kerala tourism department in recent years. It must be noted that most of her secret visits were to Kerala and she is alleged to have conducted many secret meetings with her Pakistani counterparts in the… pic.twitter.com/zvR1v2N5gV
— S.Jayashankar (@jaypanicker) July 6, 2025
According to official records, Malhotra was among 41 social media influencers invited by the Kerala Tourism Department between January 2024 and May 2025 under its influencer outreach programme. Her trips to Kannur, Kozhikode, Kochi, Alappuzha, and Munnar were funded by the state government as part of efforts to promote Kerala as a digital travel destination.
Opposition leaders pointed out that when the issue was raised a month ago, it was ignored by both the Kerala government and most mainstream media outlets. They alleged that the new RTI response had validated earlier claims, showing that a person now under investigation for espionage was officially hosted by a department overseen by the Chief Minister’s close family member – his own son-in-law.
When I raised this a month ago, Kerala’s mainstream media turned a blind eye.
Now, RTI documents prove every word I said.
Why did Kerala Tourism, controlled by CM’s son-in-law, sponsor a Pak-linked spy’s trip?
Kerala’s security is not your family business, Mr.… pic.twitter.com/Yx1yYfQMHR
— K Surendran (@surendranbjp) July 6, 2025
Critics of the government claimed that the administration had treated the state’s security apparatus like a family-run enterprise. They raised questions about how an individual with documented ties to Pakistan-based operatives could be selected for a government-sponsored initiative, and why no background verification had been carried out.
The BJP claimed that Malhotra’s participation in the tourism campaign had gone beyond casual oversight and represented a deeper governance failure. They argued that her presence in Kerala under official invitation, particularly her visit to Kannur, needed to be scrutinized in detail, including whom she met and whether any sensitive material was collected.
The Kerala Tourism Minister, who manages the influencer programme, dismissed the accusations, attributing them to political propaganda. However, opposition parties and civil society groups insisted that the controversy could not be dismissed lightly given the national security angle involved.
Investigative agencies reported that Malhotra had made multiple trips to Pakistan, where she established contact with individuals connected to the Pakistani intelligence network. Among her contacts was a staffer at the Pakistan High Commission who was expelled from India in May 2025 for espionage.
Malhotra is one of 12 individuals arrested across several states in connection with a suspected intelligence-gathering network targeting Indian content creators. While authorities have not yet confirmed whether she had access to any classified information, officials maintained that she was knowingly in touch with foreign intelligence handlers.
The controversy has deepened the political fallout surrounding the Kerala government’s influencer collaborations, especially given the familial connection between the Chief Minister and the Tourism Minister. Critics alleged that the tourism department, under such control, had failed in its basic duty to safeguard the state’s interests while engaging with external influencers.
(With inputs from Times Of India)
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