Probe finds Kumbh fame Monalisa is a minor, Pocso case filed against husband

Monalisa, widely known as the "Mahakumbh viral girl", is once again in the news, a month after her marriage with a Muslim man grabbed headlines across the country.

The Khargone Police in Madhya Pradesh has filed a POCSO case against her husband, Farman, after an investigation confirmed that she is a minor. He has also been booked under sections related to criminal conspiracy and unlawful marriage under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), as well as the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Based on official hospital records, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribe determined that Monalisa was born on December 30, 2009, making her 16 years, 2 months, and 12 days old at the time of her marriage on March 11 this year.

Monalisa, a member of the Pardhi tribal community, first came into the spotlight during the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, where she was seen selling rudraksh garlands. A video of her, captured by a content creator, went viral on social media, turning her into an internet sensation almost overnight.

HOW THE PROBE UNFOLDED

The investigation began at the Nainar Deva Temple in Kerala, where the marriage was solemnised. The temple administration told investigators that the ceremony was conducted on the basis of ages mentioned in the couple's Aadhaar cards. The marriage was subsequently registered at a Gram Panchayat office using a birth certificate the probe team found to be fraudulent.

The certificate, issued by the Maheshwar Municipality, listed Monalisa's date of birth as January 1, 2008, which is nearly two years earlier than what government hospital records show. The commission has directed local authorities to cancel the fraudulent document.

The Commission also flagged the alleged involvement of political actors and organisations in the case. Advocate Pratham Dubey, who presented the matter before the Commission on March 17, claimed that CPI(M) leaders from Kerala and members of the Popular Front of India were involved in facilitating the marriage.

He further alleged that the marriage was a deliberate attempt to manufacture a counter-narrative around the concept of "Love Jihad."

The Commission has summoned the Directors General of Police of both Kerala and Madhya Pradesh to its New Delhi headquarters on April 22. The Commission has also sought a progress report from both state DGPs every three days until the case is resolved.

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(With inputs from Umesh Rewaliya)