Close associate of Ashok Kharat dies in road accident on Samruddhi Expressway

Jitendra Shelke, a businessman from Shirdi, was the vice president of Shivnika Trust, founded and controlled by Ashok Kharat, who was arrested in March for charges including rape, sexual assault

Mumbai: Jitendra Shelke, 55, a prominent businessman from Shirdi who had come under the scanner of investigation agencies for his alleged links to arrested self-styled godman Ashok Kharat, died in a road accident on the Samruddhi Expressway on Friday afternoon.

Jitendra Shelke and his wife Anuradha were killed after the car he was driving rammed into a container truck parked on the shoulder of the Samruddhi Expressway near Dhotre village in Ahilyanagar district.

Shelke’s wife, Anuradha, 50, was also killed after the car he was driving rammed into a container truck parked on the shoulder of the expressway near Dhotre village in Ahilyanagar district, police said. The couple’s 14-year-old son, Suchit, who was also in the car, survived the crash with a fractured hand and has been admitted to hospital, officers said.

Shelke, who ran a real estate firm, was also the vice president of Shivnika Trust, founded and controlled by Kharat, who was arrested in March for charges including rape, sexual assault, promoting superstition, extortion and money laundering. To be sure, the police have not suggested any foul play was involved in the accident and said the cause is still under investigation.

The accident

According to the police, the accident occurred around 12.30 pm on Friday on the Kopargaon–Vaijapur stretch of the Samruddhi Expressway.

“The Shelke family was returning from Sambhajinagar to Shirdi in their car,” said inspector Sandeep Koli from the Kopergaon rural police station. “The vehicle hit a container from behind. Such was the impact that the front part of the car came under the rear side of the container and was completely mangled.”

Local residents, along with police personnel, had to make considerable efforts to extricate the family from the wreckage. Shelke, who was driving, and his wife, seated beside him, died on the spot, officers said. Their son, who was seated in the rear, was rescued and taken to hospital.

Ahilyanagar additional superintendent of police Somnath Waghchaure, who visited the site, told HT that the police have begun an investigation to determine the cause of the accident. “A forensic team had visited the spot. It is still unclear whether the container was stationary or moving slowly. The container driver has fled the spot after the accident,” said Waghchaure.

Who is Jitendra Shelke?

Shelke was a well-known businessman in the Shirdi region and director of real estate firm Silver Oak Buildcon Pvt Ltd. He had also founded Silver Oak Academy, an educational institution that helped establish his presence in Shirdi and surrounding areas.

He had longstanding ties with Kharat and was associated with Shivnika Trust since its inception around 2008, a former member of the trust said on condition of anonymity. “He had resigned from the trust in 2017 but again rejoined it last year. Kharat made him vice president of the trust,” said the former trust member.

On Monday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had summoned Shelke to record his statement during searches at premises linked to Kharat in Nashik. According to an official aware of the developments, Shelke told the agency that Kharat and his family members would have more knowledge of the trust’s functioning. The ED did not summon him again after recording his statement, the official added.

Shelke was also under the radar of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Maharashtra police to probe the Kharat case. “We have so far not issued any notices to him. But he was definitely under our radar to garner information about Kharat’s dubious activities,” said an official in the know.

A person close to Shelke, who requested anonymity, said he had been under significant mental stress following the investigation and revelations about Kharat’s activities. On Friday, Shelke and his family travelled to Mahur, a pilgrimage site, and the accident occurred on their return journey, the person added.

Oppn calls for probe

While the police have not indicated any foul play, several opposition leaders called for a thorough investigation into the accident. In a post on X, Rohit Pawar, NCP (SP) MLA from Ahilyanagar district, questioned whether the accident was “orchestrated” so that Kharat’s “other unrevealed misdeeds don’t come to light”.

“There is a need for a thorough investigation into the matter. Moreover, since many matters are likely to surface during Kharat’s investigation, his safety must also be ensured,” added Pawar in his post.

NCP MLC Amol Mitkari said, “How did Jitendra Shelke die in an accident just two days after an investigation was underway? Was this truly an accident or a deliberate act? This raises serious suspicion. It must be investigated whether the brakes of Shelke’s vehicle failed on their own or were tampered with.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare said the accident was “unbelievable”, adding that there had been apprehensions for days that there could be threats against those linked to the Kharat case. “Today’s incident only strengthens that suspicion. If the SIT does not expedite the probe, doubts will only deepen. This raises serious questions about the system,” she said.

Kharat, a numerologist and self-proclaimed cosmology expert, has been accused of repeatedly raping and sexually exploiting several women by claiming divine powers and using astrology as a facade. He was arrested by the Nashik police’s crime branch on March 17. The police have recovered multiple objectionable videos from Kharat during the probe, which are now part of the evidence.

Several political leaders, bureaucrats, celebrities and businesspersons had reportedly consulted Kharat for guidance on personal and professional matters. Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) chairperson and NCP leader Rupali Chakankar was also a member of the Shivnika Trust. She had to resign from the position after being accused of intimidating one of the victims.

With inputs from Abhishek Sharan