After a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case was registered against Farman Khan, the husband of Kumbh Mela viral star Monalisa Bhosle, several CPM leaders in Kerala, including party’s state secretary MV Govindan, who officiated the wedding, were left in a state of shock.
The Madhya Pradesh Police have registered a POCSO case against Farman Khan following the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes’ (NCST) finding that the girl was a minor at the time of marriage.
While the couple claimed Monalisa was an adult (18+) at the time of their marriage on March 11, 2026, an inquiry by the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) in Kerala and subsequent investigation revealed that she was a minor, reported to be approximately 16 years and 2 months old.
The Kumbh Mela viral star got married on March 11 at the Arumanoor Sri Nainar Deva Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes found that the girl was only 16 years and two months old at the time of marriage. The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes found that a fake certificate was made for the marriage. Hospital records in Madhya Pradesh show that the girl was born on December 30, 2009. The commission’s report also states that a fake birth certificate was made for the marriage. With this, a case has been registered against Farman Khan under the POCSO Act
Leaders who officiated or attended the ceremony, including CPM Kerala secretary MV Govindan, Kerala Education Minister V. Sivankutty, and Rajya Sabha MP A.A. Rahim are now in a difficult situation and are facing intense criticism for facilitating what is legally a child marriage. They championed the wedding of Monalisa and Farman Khan as a symbol of “the real Kerala story.”
The NCST has summoned the Directors General of Police from both Kerala and Madhya Pradesh to appear in New Delhi on April 22, 2026. The commission is demanding accountability for how a minor was allowed to marry under the patronage of public representatives using allegedly forged documents.
While the leaders have not been named in the primary FIR yet, the NCST is closely monitoring the investigation, and political opponents are calling for a formal inquiry into the role played by the state government officials. Though the CPM leaders have not been formally charged, the political fallout is intense with the Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other organizations demanding that the leaders be held accountable for promoting child marriage.
While initially the wedding is highlighted as a symbol of communal harmony in Kerala, the revelation that Monalisa is legally a minor has turned the “Real Kerala Story” narrative on its head.