On Wednesday, June 3, 2026, the Kerala High Court granted one month of interim protection to Mohammad Farmaan Khan, the husband of Maha Kumbh girl Monalisa. During this period, Khan cannot be arrested, allowing him time to approach a competent court in Madhya Pradesh and file a plea for anticipatory bail. His arrest is being sought in connection with a case registered in Madhya Pradesh, in which it has been alleged that Monalisa was kidnapped by Khan and that their marriage is invalid.

Justice Kauser Edappagath passed the order after hearing detailed arguments from both sides. During the hearing, the court also remarked on Khan and Monalisa being in Kerala instead of Madhya Pradesh. "Lucky that you are in Kerala," the court observed, as the couple alleged that they were facing threats in Madhya Pradesh because of their interfaith marriage. To this, the couple's counsel, advocate M. Sasindran, replied, "Yes, and that is the only reason why we are alive now."

See Also: Keralam’s First “Love Jihad” Story Did Not Land Well: Viral Kumbh Girl Monalisa Bhosle Denies Any Coercion from Her Muslim Partner Farman Khan, Says Marriage Happened as per Hindu Rituals

Monalisa Bhosle rose to fame after a video of her during Maha Kumbh 2025 went viral on social media. In the video, she was selling rudraksha garlands, and her amber-coloured eyes drew widespread public attention. She later married Khan, a Muslim man, in an interfaith wedding ceremony on March 11, 2026.

Later, a controversy emerged after allegations surfaced that Monalisa was a minor when she married Khan and had not attained the legal age for marriage. Questions were then raised about the legality of their marriage. A complaint was subsequently registered by Monalisa's father, who alleged that Khan had kidnapped his daughter and maintained that she was underage when the marriage took place.

The Kerala High Court said, “The applicant No.1 has satisfied this Court regarding his inability to seek anticipatory bail from the court which has territorial jurisdiction to take cognizance of the offence immediately. This bail application is therefore disposed of with liberty to the applicant No.1 to approach the jurisdictional Court and seek anticipatory bail in accordance with law, within a period of one month from today.”

The couple strongly rejected these allegations. Their counsel, advocate M. Sasindran, contended that Monalisa had already attained majority when the marriage was solemnised and alleged that official records were later manipulated to portray her as a minor. After examining the age-related documents, Justice Edappagath observed that, based on the birth certificate placed before the court, her date of birth was January 1, 2008, and therefore she appeared to be a major at first glance.

See Also: Monalisa interfaith marriage row: Sanoj Mishra alleges banned group PFI is targeting him to supress 'Love-Jihad' issue

Meanwhile, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, representing the Madhya Pradesh government, objected to the couple's plea, arguing that they should have approached a court in Madhya Pradesh since the FIR against them was registered there. In response, the couple alleged that they were receiving threats in Madhya Pradesh and had therefore approached the Kerala High Court.

"The grounds raised by the applicant No.1 (Farman) for an order of transit bail appear to be reasonable to avoid a threat to his life and personal liberty in the jurisdiction where the FIR is registered," the court said. It then permitted Farman to approach a court in Madhya Pradesh within one month.

In Kerala, a private complaint before a POCSO court in Thiruvananthapuram seeks action not only against Khan but also against several CPI(M) leaders, including M.V. Govindan, V. Sivankutty, and A.A. Rahim, for allegedly facilitating the marriage.

[VP]

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