ED seizes gold, US dollars worth over ₹1 cr from Ashok Kharat’s bank locker

The valuables – comprising gold jewellery worth ₹1.10 crore, $5,500 in cash (worth ₹5.19 lakh at current rates) and silver jewellery worth ₹1.89 lakh – were seized in presence of the godman’s daughter

MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized valuables worth more than ₹1 crore from the locker of a Nashik-based co-operative bank, held in the name of self-styled godman Ashok Kharat, under arrest on charges of sexual assault and other offences, and his wife Kalpana Kharat. The valuables – comprising gold jewellery worth ₹1.10 crore, $5,500 in cash (worth ₹5.19 lakh at current rates) and silver jewellery worth ₹1.89 lakh – were seized on Tuesday, in presence of the couple’s daughter, as alleged proceeds of crime under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, ED officials said.

ED seizes gold, US dollars worth over ₹1 cr from Ashok Kharat’s bank locker

The ED had sealed the locker at the Vishwas Cooperative Bank’s Mumbai Naka branch in Nashik in April. The same month, the agency searched several locations linked to Kharat, his relatives and associates across Nashik, Pune and Shirdi. It froze bank funds worth around ₹2.4 crore, seized ₹42 lakh in cash, and recovered around 90 property documents estimated to be worth several crores, ED officials said.

The agency also seized a high-end Mercedes-Benz SUV allegedly linked to Kharat.

The ED’s case, registered last month, is based on a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Nashik police in March regarding Kharat allegedly extorting ₹4-5 crore from a businessman on multiple pretexts in 2018-19. The businessman, who works in the real estate and construction sector, alleged that the self-styled godman had also coerced him to transfer the ownership of his luxury car worth ₹90 lakh to him in 2018.

The ED’s money-laundering investigation suspects that a substantial amount of cash was allegedly deposited in 60 accounts controlled by Kharat at a Nashik-based co-operative credit society. The agency is examining all transactions, including deposits and withdrawals, linked to the 60 accounts at the co-operative society, Samatha Nagri Sahakari Pathsanstha. A Kharat aide would allegedly accompany the account holders when cash was deposited in these accounts.

The ED has also found that Kharat allegedly sold common objects to his followers at heightened rates, claiming they were blessed items and possessed divine healing powers. The funds thus collected, as well as through extortion operations, were used to purchase multiple plots, the officials said.