The marriage of Monalisa Bhosle, known as the “Kumbh Mela girl,” to Farman Khan in Kerala has sparked a major controversy after the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) found that the girl was a minor at the time of the wedding.
Following the revelation, demands have emerged for an investigation into the role of Kerala CPM leaders who were associated with the ceremony, including state secretary M. V. Govindan, who officiated it.
NCST legal advisor Prakash Uyke, in a Facebook post on Saturday, alleged that there was a conspiracy behind the incident and called for a probe into the role of CPM leaders in Kerala who were involved in the marriage.
Apart from the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 are also likely to be invoked in the case. Those allegedly involved in preparing a fake birth certificate for the girl are also expected to be named as accused.
A POCSO case has already been registered against Farman Khan by the Madhya Pradesh Police following the NCST’s finding that the girl was a minor at the time of marriage. The development has reportedly left several CPM leaders, including M. V. Govindan, in a difficult position.
While the couple had claimed that Monalisa was an adult at the time of their marriage on March 11, 2026, in Kerala, an inquiry by the NCST and subsequent investigations revealed that she was a minor, reportedly around 16 years and two months old.
The marriage took place at the Arumanoor Sri Nainar Deva Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. According to the NCST, hospital records in Madhya Pradesh indicate that the girl was born on December 30, 2009, and that a fake birth certificate was allegedly created to facilitate the marriage.
Leaders who officiated or attended the ceremony, including CPM Kerala secretary M. V. Govindan, Kerala Education Minister V. Sivankutty, and Rajya Sabha MP A. A. Rahim, are facing criticism for their presence at what is now alleged to be a case of child marriage. The wedding had earlier been projected by some as a symbol of a “real Kerala story.”
The NCST has summoned the Directors General of Police of both Kerala and Madhya Pradesh to appear in New Delhi on April 22, 2026, seeking accountability over how a minor was allowed to marry under the patronage of public representatives using allegedly forged documents.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other organisations have demanded a probe into the role of CPM leaders and temple authorities for allegedly facilitating an “illegal marriage.” VHP Kerala general secretary Anil Vilayil has called for an investigation into the alleged involvement of CPM leaders.
The VHP has also raised allegations, terming the incident a case of “love jihad” and pointing to the possibility of child marriage.
Meanwhile, CPM general secretary M. A. Baby has defended the presence of party leaders at the ceremony, stating that they attended the event in good faith based on the information available to them at the time.