KOCHI: A team from the Madhya Pradesh Police arrived in Thrikkakara, Kochi, on Thursday as part of an ongoing probe into a controversial marriage involving a girl suspected to be a minor, with officers acting on inputs that she is currently in the area.
Sources said the team comprises four members.
The case has drawn attention due to its alleged connection with a social media figure who gained visibility during the Kumbh Mela.
The marriage, which took place in Kerala, came under scrutiny after the girl’s family alleged that she had not attained the legal age for marriage.
Following the complaint, authorities in Madhya Pradesh registered a case, suspecting that she may have been unlawfully taken away and married.
Officers reached the Thrikkakara police station following inputs that the girl is currently in the area.
A case has been registered in Madhya Pradesh against Farman Khan, invoking charges of kidnapping along with provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The team is also attempting to trace a close associate of Khan, believed to have links to the case. However, according to sources, the individual has reportedly declined to appear before the police, complicating immediate questioning.
Reliable sources said that investigators are working to verify the girl’s age and establish the sequence of events leading up to the marriage. Coordination between the Kerala Police and the Madhya Pradesh Police is ongoing as part of the probe.
Meanwhile, the Kerala High Court had granted interim protection from arrest to the couple on March 23, which was later extended on April 8 till May 20 while considering their anticipatory bail plea, temporarily limiting coercive action.
Kochi City Police Commissioner Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar confirmed the visit of the Madhya Pradesh Police team, stating that Kerala Police had informed them about the anticipatory bail. He added that the case registered in Madhya Pradesh includes kidnapping charges.