Kerala High Court Issues Notice To National Commission For Scheduled Tribes In Kumbh Mela Star's Police Protection Plea

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (August 11) impleaded the National Commission of Scheduled Tribes (NCST) and issued notice to it in the plea preferred by the viral Kumbh Mela star seeking police protection.

Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas yesterday allowed the petition filed by the star seeking to implead the Commission, the City Police Commissioner, Director General of Police, Thampanoor Station House Officer, and Poovar Panchayath.

The Court also allowed a petition seeking to produce additional documents, including a copy of her original birth certificate and aadhaar card.

The case now stands posted to September 8 (Tuesday) for further consideration.

The development comes in the backdrop of dispute surrounding her age and interfaith marriage with Mohammed Farmaan.

In the last hearing, the Court had questioned the Commission's power to issue a direction to the DGP of Kerala asking to handover the star to the Madhya Pradesh police. It had noted that the afore direction was made by the NCST while considering a complaint made by a social worker.

The Court had then directed the State government to ensure that the star is not taken out of the jurisdictional limits of Cochin city or handed over to the MP police against her will and without its further orders. It had further clarified that the petitioner is granted protection till the disposal of the writ petition.

In the impleading petition, it is stated that it is upon the NCST's direction that offences other than kidnapping came to be incorporated in the crime registered pursuant to her father's 'fake complaint'. It is further stated that the NCST issued an illegal direction to issue a new birth certificate for her to make her out to be a minor. According to the plea, NCST does not have such a power and it was only acting in political interest.

As per the impleading petition, the City Police Commissioner is being arrayed to ensure effective police protection to her. She had sought to implead the DGP for providing the effective direction to the officials concerned and to collect the documents from the Madhya Pradesh, if necessary.

She sought to implead the Thampanoor SHO, whom she has stated, had verified her birth certificate and aadhaar that prove that she is a major. She has further stated that Poovar Gramapanchayat is a necessary party since the NCST had visited there in official capacity to conduct an enquiry, where it had examined the documents that prove her actual age.

"After the verification of the above said documents the commission was convinced that there is no issue with the documents which are produced by me as alleged in the complaint. Then the commission returned to Madhya Pradesh. Thereafter either due to political intervention or some other pressure the commission changed their version and took a stand against me and my husband," it is alleged.

Case No: WP(C) No. 21065 of 2026

Case Title: MB v. State of Kerala and Anr.

Counsel for the petitioner: K.K. Preetha, P.S. Anishad, Limna Bhaskaran, Sreeparvathi G.V., Samuel Sabu, Siya Ummer