"Lucky you are in Kerala": Kerala HC on threats faced in MP by Kumbh Mela fame Monalisa Bhosle, husband

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday reserved its verdict on an anticipatory bail plea filed by Kumbh Mela fame Monalisa Bhosle and her husband Mohammed Farmaan Khan in a criminal case registered in Madhya Pradesh over allegations that Bhosle was kidnapped and that her marriage is invalid [Moh Farmaan & Anr. v. State of Kerala & Ors.]..Justice Kauser Edappagath indicated that he is likely to pronounce an order tomorrow, June 3. Today's hearing also saw the judge orally observe that the couple is fortunate to presently be in Kerala, given the threats that they have allegedly been facing over their interfaith marriage from some quarters in Madhya Pradesh. Advocate M Sasindran, representing the couple, told the Court that fundamentalist groups and the State were trying their best to attack the marriage on false claims that Bhosle is a minor. The lawyer maintained that Bhosle was 18 years of age when she married, However, the entire Madhya Pradesh State apparatus was misused and official records were manipulated later to portray Monalisa as a minor."My basic submission is that the entire State machinery has been set in motion against the petitioners to portray the second petitioner as a minor. The entire State machinery and fundamentalist groups are behind us," Sasindran said. "Lucky that you are in Kerala," Justice Edappagath remarked. "Yes, and that is the only reason why we are alive now," Sasindran replied. .The Madhya Pradesh government, represented by Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, countered that the supposedly Hindu marriage was also illegal since Farmaan Khan is a Muslim."This marriage took place in a Hindu temple. Under Section 5 of the Hindu Marriage Act, a marriage can be solemnised between two Hindus. One party here is Muslim. Therefore, it is not a valid Hindu marriage," he said. In response to the Court's queries, the ASG also said that forgery and related offences are likely to be added to the kidnapping-related first information report (FIR) filed against Khan."There is prima facie material to show that a false birth certificate was obtained (by Khan). The marriage certificate subsequently obtained on the basis of that birth certificate, amounts to deceiving authorities into registering the marriage," he submitted. He maintained that Monalisa Bhosle's actual date of birth is in December 2009, not January 2008 as claimed by the couple. She is a minor and not eligible to marry, he said. "Believing that there is a valid marriage, the minor girl cohabits with the 2nd petitioner (Khan)," added ASG Raju. "The victim doesn’t have any complaint against him," replied Justice Edappagath. "There may not be a complaint. I am only pointing out the facts," said ASG Raju."I am clearing my doubt. I am asking you a question. You say you are pointing out a fact, but that fact doesn’t appear to be correct because the victim has no complaint," remarked the Court, in turn, before reserving its verdict. The Court had earlier granted the couple interim protection from arrest, after noting that their marriage appeared to be legally solemnised and that they were residing together as husband and wife..Monalise Bhosle rose to fame after videos of her selling beads during the 2025 Kumbh Mela went viral on social media last year. She married Farmaan Khan earlier this year in Kerala. Their interfaith marriage was widely publicised in the media. However, controversy arose after allegations surfaced that Bhosle was only 16 years old and had not attained the legal age for marriage when she married Farman on March 11 of this year. Questions were raised regarding the legality of their marriage and whether charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) would be attracted..Bhosle's father, meanwhile, lodged a kidnapping complaint with the police. Apprehending arrest in connection with this case, the couple eventually approached the Kerala High Court seeking anticipatory bail. In their plea, they refuted allegations that Monalisa Bhosle was a minor..Meanwhile, the State of Madhya Pradesh, represented by ASG Raju objected to the maintainability of the couple's plea. He argued that they should have approached a court in Madhya Pradesh for anticipatory bail since the FIR against Khan is lodged there. .The couple, on the other hand, argued that they had approached the court in Kerala because they apprehended threats if they sought relief in Madhya Pradesh..Related proceedings are also pending before a Thiruvananthapuram POCSO court. A private complaint was filed at the trial court seeking action against Farmaan Khan (Bhosle's husband) and others, including CPI (M) leaders MV Govindan, V Sivankutty and Rajya Sabha MP AA Rahim for facilitating the marriage.The court had also sought a report from the Madhya Pradesh Police on the status of the investigation into allegations that Bhosle was a minor at the time of marriage.Moreover, the couple has also filed a writ petition before the MP High Court on allegations that Monalisa Bhosle's age records were tampered with to falsely portray her as minor. .Monalisa Bhosle and Farmaan were also represented by advocates Satheeshan Alakkadan and Mrinal Chand M.Special Prosecutor V Sajith Kumar also represented the Madhya Pradesh government before the High Court. .[Read Live Coverage]