The Kerala High Court on Friday vacated its interim order granting police protection to Monalisa Bhosle, popularly known as the “Viral Kumbh Mela star,” after the state informed the court that the police could not trace her using the address and contact details furnished in her petition.
A single bench of Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas vacated the interim order granting police protection, after the government pleader informed the court that the police were unable to trace or locate the petitioner based on the provided contact number or address.
“The police is unable to trace the person. They wanted to give the protection, but this person was not able to trace. Now, it is a regular pattern from the petitioner. Every time, she comes for police protection, but the police are unable to contact her. The entire responsibility is on the police,” the government pleader told the court.
The counsel, appearing for Monalisa, submitted that he had no instructions in the matter. Following this, the court vacated its interim order.
“In view of the above submission, the interim order dated 19 June is vacated. In case, the petitioner approaches the police and requests police protection in writing the second respondent shall provide necessary protection for the petitioner,” the Court ordered.
After the rejection of her husband’s anticipatory bail plea by courts in Madhya Pradesh, the couple went untraceable.
Monalisa Bhosle shot to nationwide fame after social media videos showed her selling rudraksha garlands during the Maha Kumbh celebrations. She later transitioned into acting and travelled to Kerala for a film shoot.
While in Kerala, she married her partner, Mohammes Farmaan Khan, an interfaith marriage opposed by her family. Her father subsequently filed a police complaint in Madhya Pradesh, accusing Khan of abducting her and alleging that Monalisa was a minor. Madhya Pradesh Police registered a case against Farmaan Khan under the POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) and the SC/ST Act based on the complaint from the girl’s father.
Monalisa approached the Kerala High Court alleging hate campaigns and life threats. In June 2026, the court directed the Ernakulam Central Police Station to safeguard her life.
Following investigations by the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), hospital records surfaced indicating Monalisa was born in December 2009, making her 16 (a minor) at the time of marriage.
Farmaan Khan faces heavy criminal charges, including violations under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and forgery.
The Kerala High Court on July 2 dismissed a petition filed by Mohammed Farmaan Khan seeking an extension of time in the 1-month transit anticipatory bail granted to him in a POCSO case registered in Madhya Pradesh. A single bench of Justice Kauser Edappagath dismissed the petition stating that the Kerala High Court lacked territorial jurisdiction to entertain his plea to extend his transit anticipatory bail.