'Brought vlogger Jyoti Malhotra to Kerala with good intentions'; Minister Riyas breaks silence

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amidst backlash over a new RTI revelation, Tourism Minister P A Mohammed Riyas said that the decision to bring vlogger Jyoti Malhotra to Kerala was made with good intentions. He denied having any knowledge of the infamous vlogger's treacherous shenanigans. Jyoti was arrested two months ago on charges of spying for Pakistan.

“How is it possible for a state government to invite an accused charged with sedition? The government was totally unaware of Jyoti’s doings. However, I don’t fear the smear campaign ongoing in social media.” Said Minister Riyas.

An RTI document proving Jyoti Malhotra's visit to Kerala as part of a promotion for the Tourism Department surfaced today.

Jyoti Malhotra was on the list of vloggers who promoted Kerala’s tourism. Jyoti Malhotra travelled to Kannur, Kozhikode, Kochi, Alappuzha, and Munnar at the expense of the Kerala government. The list of vloggers who promoted the tourism department from January 2024 to May 2025 has been released. It has been revealed that 33-year-old Jyoti has visited Pakistan several times in the past. It has also been reported that she had contacts with the intelligence department of Pakistan. Jyoti had a relationship with an employee of the Pakistan High Commission. Following this, India expelled this official.

Surprisingly, it was after completing her Kerala sojourn that Jyoti travelled to Pakistan. There were 487 videos on Jyoti’s YouTube channel, and most of them were from Pakistan, Thailand and Bangladesh.