PUNE: The number of criminal cases against arrested self-styled godman Ashok Kharat rose to 10 after Nashik city police registered two fresh offences, including one of rape and another of cheating, based on new complaints from a woman and a businessman.
Police said eight of the 10 cases pertain to rape and sexual exploitation, while two are related to cheating.
The Sarkarwada police in Nashik registered the latest cases on Friday night following a complaint by a married woman, who alleged that Kharat sexually assaulted her four times over a five-month period between August and December 2024.
According to the complaint, the woman had been visiting Kharat’s office at Canada Corner along with her husband. Following a pattern similar to earlier cases, Kharat allegedly asked the husband to wait outside his chamber. He then sedated the woman and raped her on multiple occasions. The complainant approached the police after Kharat’s arrest on March 18, officials said.
In a separate case, a cloth trader from Nevasa in Ahilyanagar district, Rajendra Nanasaheb Bhagwat (39), accused Kharat of cheating him of ₹2.62 lakh over the past three years on the pretext of improving his business prospects.
Bhagwat told police that Kharat had given him two rings, one with a yellow sapphire and another with a diamond, and advised him to wear them. He also claimed to have gifted Kharat three gold rings, weighing over 20 grams in total. However, after Kharat’s arrest, Bhagwat had the items examined and found that the gemstones were fake and the rings were made of copper, not gold, as per his complaint.
{{/usCountry}}Bhagwat told police that Kharat had given him two rings, one with a yellow sapphire and another with a diamond, and advised him to wear them. He also claimed to have gifted Kharat three gold rings, weighing over 20 grams in total. However, after Kharat’s arrest, Bhagwat had the items examined and found that the gemstones were fake and the rings were made of copper, not gold, as per his complaint.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, the Nashik district administration has suspended Kharat’s firearm licence and issued a show-cause notice seeking an explanation on why it should not be cancelled. District collector Ayush Prasad said the notice has been handed over to the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which will serve it to Kharat.
Officials said the administration acted after police recovered five used cartridges from Kharat’s farmhouse. Investigators are probing whether the firearm was used for any illegal activities.
Records show that Kharat was first granted a firearm licence in 2014, which was renewed in 2024.
Crackdown on circulation of videos
Nashik city police have registered cases against 65 social media accounts, including six group administrators, for allegedly circulating obscene videos linked to Kharat and his victims.
Police said the offences have been registered under provisions of the Information Technology Act. The cyber cell is monitoring online platforms and has warned of strict action against those sharing such content.