Mahakumbh Viral Girl Fake Certificate: Parents' Role Exposed

Mother of the Mahakumbh viral girl admits she is illiterate and only put thumb impressions on papers as instructed, raising serious questions over the fake birth certificate used in her Kerala marriage.

The parents of the girl who shot to fame after a video from Prayagraj Mahakumbh went viral allegedly forged her birth certificate to show her as an adult, her mother has now revealed. The confession comes days after the National Scheduled Tribes Commission confirmed she was a minor at the time of her marriage in Kerala.

The girl, a member of the Pardhi community from Maheshwar in Madhya Pradesh, was married to Farman Khan on March 11 in Puar village, Kerala. At that time, documents claimed she was over 18. Investigation, however, proved otherwise.

Mother Breaks Silence

In a conversation with Dainik Bhaskar, the girl’s mother said she is illiterate and signed whatever papers were placed before her with her thumb impression. “I am illiterate. When my daughter and father were in Ujjain, a man came to our house. Whatever paper he asked me to put my thumbprint on, I would put it,” she told the newspaper.

She added that her daughter was born in a government hospital in Maheshwar and that the family was told the documents were needed for a passport so the girl could pursue acting.

Fake Certificate for Passport

According to the mother, the man who visited their home claimed certificates were required for her daughter to become a “star”. She said she never knew the papers would be used for marriage. The father had also submitted an application to the Block Medical Officer on March 18 stating the birth year as 2009.

Hospital records confirm the birth date as December 30, 2009. On the day of the nikah, the girl was only 16 years and two months old.

Certificate Issued Illegally

A fake birth certificate was issued by Maheshwar Municipality on June 5, 2025, based on an affidavit claiming home delivery. Chief Municipal Officer Priyanka Pandey said the certificate was issued on the Tehsildar’s order but has since been cancelled following the commission’s probe.

Block Medical Officer Dr Atul Gaur, however, stated that the birth was registered in the government hospital since 2009. He pointed out that municipal authorities had no power to issue a home-birth certificate in such cases, terming it a clear case of document forgery.

Marriage in Kerala Under Scanner

The marriage registration in Kerala was done using the fake certificate. Advocate Pratham Dubey filed a complaint with the National Scheduled Tribes Commission on March 17, alleging the girl was a minor and raising concerns over possible collusion involving certain political elements.

The commission’s investigation not only confirmed her minor status but also flagged that the couple had been staying in VIP hotels for three months, prompting a probe into human trafficking of tribal children.

FIR Lodged in Maheshwar

Following the commission’s recommendation, Maheshwar police have registered an FIR under relevant sections. Action against Farman Khan under the POCSO Act and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act is now certain. The marriage registration is being cancelled.

Police sources indicated that intermediaries and municipal employees involved in preparing the fake documents are also under investigation.

Trafficking Angle Probed

The case has triggered debate in Madhya Pradesh and beyond. While one section views it as a possible case of religious conversion, human rights activists describe it as exploitation of a vulnerable minor from a Scheduled Tribe community. The mother said she last spoke to her daughter 15-20 days ago and expressed fear that she had been “fed something”.

She added that the family sent money to the husband when he had none and that the girl had told them she was going for acting work.

What Next in Probe

Maheshwar police and other agencies are now coordinating for the girl’s return from Kerala. Arrests of the accused, including Farman Khan, are expected soon. Further action against officials who overlooked hospital records while issuing the certificate is also likely.

The episode has once again highlighted gaps in document verification processes, especially in cases involving minors from marginalised communities, even as the Mahakumbh viral girl’s story shifts from social media fame to a serious legal battle.