Kumbh Mela viral star wedding case: Kerala-Madhya Pradesh police should cooperate in investigation, says NCST

NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has directed the Kerala and Madhya Pradesh police departments to cooperate in the investigation regarding the marriage of the viral Kumbh Mela star. The bench, led by Chairman Antarsingh Raoji Arya, was considering a petition filed by the girl's parents.

Although the Commission had ordered the DGPs of both states to appear in person, representatives attended the hearing yesterday. Thiruvananthapuram Range DIG Dr J. Himendranath submitted a report stating that, according to the documents provided by the girl, she is over 18 years old. He maintained that there was no lapse on the part of the Kerala Police and noted that the Kerala High Court had stayed the arrest of her husband, Farman Khan.

However, the Madhya Pradesh Police alleged that the Kerala Police was not cooperating with the investigation. They claimed to have evidence proving the girl is a minor and stated that the inability to record her statement has hindered the investigation. The Commission advised both departments to stop the blame game and submit all relevant information to the Kerala High Court.

The girl’s parents questioned why Farman Khan had not been arrested and pleaded for their daughter's safe return. They stated that their daughter originally left home to act in films. Their lawyer, Pratham Dubey, told the media that the Commission expressed strong dissatisfaction over the failure to return the minor girl to her parents and directed the police to take action under the POCSO Act.

According to hospital records from Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh, the girl was born on December 30, 2009. The Madhya Pradesh Police pointed out that she was only 16 years and 2 months old at the time of the wedding on March 11, 2026. The marriage took place at the Arumanoor Nainaar Deva Temple in Thiruvananthapuram in the presence of Minister V Sivankutty and CPM State Secretary M V Govindan.