‘Mahakumbh Viral Girl’ Monalisa is Underage, Husband Booked Under POCSO and SC/ST Act
Khargone, April 10, 2026 — Monalisa, the teenager who became an overnight internet sensation as the “Mahakumbh viral girl,” is back in the headlines following a shocking revelation about her recent marriage. An official investigation has confirmed that she is a minor, prompting the Khargone Police in Madhya Pradesh to register a POCSO case against her husband, Farman.
Monalisa, who belongs to the Pardhi tribal community, initially shot to fame after a video of her selling rudraksh garlands at the Prayagraj Kumbh Mela went wildly viral on social media. Her marriage to Farman on March 11 of this year drew national attention, but the fairy-tale narrative has now taken a dark legal turn.
The Underage Marriage and Fake Documents
According to the probe conducted by the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), official government hospital records prove that Monalisa was born on December 30, 2009. This means she was only 16 years, 2 months, and 12 days old at the time of her marriage.
The investigation retraced the events to the Nainar Deva Temple in Kerala, where the wedding was solemnised.
Temple authorities stated that they allowed the ceremony based on the ages listed on the couple’s Aadhaar cards.
The marriage was later officially registered at a local Gram Panchayat office using a birth certificate issued by the Maheshwar Municipality.
The probe team discovered that this municipal birth certificate was fraudulent, falsely listing Monalisa’s date of birth as January 1, 2008—nearly two years earlier than her actual birth date.
The NCST has since directed local authorities to completely cancel the fake document.
Severe Legal Charges
Following the age confirmation, Farman is now facing a barrage of serious criminal charges. Alongside the strict provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the Khargone Police have booked him for criminal conspiracy and unlawful marriage under the newly implemented Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Furthermore, due to Monalisa’s tribal background, he has also been charged under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Allegations of a Political Conspiracy
The case has also sparked intense political controversy. Advocate Pratham Dubey, who presented the matter to the NCST on March 17, leveled explosive allegations against specific political and religious outfits.
Dubey claimed that local CPI(M) leaders from Kerala and members of the Popular Front of India actively facilitated the underage marriage. He alleged that the union was a deliberate attempt to manufacture a “counter-narrative” against the concept of “Love Jihad”.
Next Steps for Authorities
Taking the matter and the allegations incredibly seriously, the NCST has summoned the Directors General of Police (DGPs) from both Kerala and Madhya Pradesh. The top police officials have been ordered to appear at the Commission’s New Delhi headquarters on April 22 to address the case.
Additionally, the Commission has demanded that both state DGPs submit a progress report every three days until the entire case reaches a full legal resolution.
