Kochi, June 2: The Kerala High Court has reserved its decision on the advance bail plea filed by Monalisa Bhosale and her husband Mohammad Farmaan Khan, who gained national attention during the Kumbh Mela. The case revolves around interfaith marriage, age-related disputes, and allegations of abduction.
Justice Kausar Edappagath indicated that a ruling could be announced on Wednesday. During the hearing, the court remarked that the couple, facing alleged threats in Madhya Pradesh, might consider themselves fortunate to be in Kerala. In response, the couple’s lawyer stated, “That’s why we are alive today.”
Monalisa Bhosale became widely known after a viral video of her selling bead necklaces at the 2025 Kumbh Mela. She married Farmaan Khan in Kerala that same year. The marriage later sparked controversy when it was alleged that Monalisa was below the legal marriage age at the time of their union.
Senior advocate M. Sasindran, representing the couple, argued that some extremist groups and certain officials in Madhya Pradesh are attempting to prove Monalisa a minor to invalidate the marriage. He claimed that she was of legal age at the time, and that there had been alleged manipulation of government records afterward.
On the other hand, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, representing the Madhya Pradesh government, opposed the plea, questioning the marriage’s validity since it was conducted according to Hindu customs while the groom is Muslim.
The state government informed the court that Monalisa’s actual birth date is December 2009, making her a minor at the time of the marriage. Consequently, provisions of child protection laws may apply. The government also suggested that charges related to forgery could be added to the alleged abduction case against Farmaan Khan, claiming that fake documents were used to obtain birth and marriage certificates.
However, the court raised questions about some of the state government’s arguments, noting that the alleged victim had not filed any complaint against her husband.
This case has garnered widespread attention due to ongoing legal proceedings in both Kerala and Madhya Pradesh. Meanwhile, a private complaint filed in a POCSO court in Thiruvananthapuram has accused several leftist leaders, including M.V. Govindan, V. Shivan Kutty, and A.A. Rahim, of allegedly facilitating the marriage.
The upcoming High Court decision on Wednesday is considered crucial for the couple and the legal disputes surrounding them, touching on sensitive issues of personal freedom, interfaith marriage, age determination, and criminal liability.
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