Kerala Court Refuses Extension of Bail for Farman Khan

The Kerala High Court has refused to extend transit bail for Farman Khan, the husband of a woman who gained fame at the 2025 Prayagraj Kumbh Mela, directing the legal proceedings to move to Madhya Pradesh where a kidnapping case is pending. The court's decision on Thursday, July 2, 2026, came after it was informed that a special court in Madhya Pradesh had already rejected Khan's anticipatory bail application.

Justice Kauser Edappagath dismissed the plea for an extension, stating the Kerala court lacked further jurisdiction once the matter was filed in Madhya Pradesh. The court had initially granted Khan a one-month transit bail on June 3, allowing him time to seek anticipatory bail from the appropriate court in Madhya Pradesh. That period has now expired.

The case stems from a complaint filed by the woman's father with police in Madhya Pradesh. He has accused Khan of kidnapping and alleges his daughter was a minor at the time of her marriage to Khan. Based on the complaint, authorities have registered charges including kidnapping, offences under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and provisions of the...