As the marriage of the Kumbh Mela viral girl, Monalisa Bhosle, to Farmaan Khan in Kerala has become a major controversy following reports that she was a minor, CPM State Secretary M V Govindan on Sunday said that the wedding was conducted after verifying Aadhaar cards and other documents.
Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, Govindan defended the marriage of Monalisa Bhosle and Farman Khan, stating that the ceremony was conducted only after authorities verified their documents, including Aadhaar card.
He dismissed the allegations that the girl was a minor, noting that documents presented by the couple showed the same date of birth, which indicated that she was an adult at the time. Govindan further maintained that the marriage represents the “Real Kerala Story”, emphasizing the state’s safe and secular environment for interfaith couples.
The Madhya Pradesh Police has registered a POCSO case against Farman Khan, husband of Monolisa Bhosle, following the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) finding that the girl was a minor at the time of the marriage.
While the couple claimed Monalisa was an adult (18+) at the time of their marriage on March 11, 2026, in Kerala, an inquiry by the NCST and subsequent investigation revealed she was a minor, reported to be approximately 16 years and two 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.
CPM leaders, including Govindan, Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty, and Rajya Sabha MP A A Rahim officiated the marriage. They championed the wedding of Monalisa and Farman Khan as a symbol of “the real Kerala story”.
The NCST 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.
Meanwhile, the police report says there was no lapse on their part in the Kumbh Mela viral star’s marriage. The police have found that the Aadhaar card presented by the girl is genuine. The report also states that it was checked and confirmed on the UIDAI site. The same Aadhaar number is also on the birth certificate. However, the report explains that there is no system to verify the birth certificate. The report has been forwarded to the DGP. The DGP has been directed to appear before the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes on the 22nd of this month.