Grocery shop owner accuses Kharat of taking away land fraudulently

After Kharat’s arrest on March 18 following multiple complaints of sexual abuse and cheating, Mali decided to file a police complaint

A grocery shop owner from Kundewadi village in Sinnar tehsil, identified as Shivram Mali (53), has accused self-styled godman Ashok Kharat and his wife Kalpana of “fraudulently” taking away his 16.5 acres of land at Mirgaon in the same tehsil.

Kharat has a sprawling farmhouse and temple at Mirgaon. Mali said he and his three brothers had bought the land in 1997 for ₹15 lakh. (HT FILE)

Nashik rural SP Balasaheb Patil said Sinnar police have registered an FIR against the couple.

Kharat has a sprawling farmhouse and temple at Mirgaon. Mali said he and his three brothers had bought the land in 1997 for ₹15 lakh.

“In 2003, we got in touch with Kharat at his office in Nashik to sell the land to him. He showed interest and even visited Mirgaon to see the land. On his advice, we repaid over ₹1.75 lakhs that we had taken as a loan against the land from others,” recalled Mali.

According to Mali, in February 2004, Kharat prepared sale documents and called all four brothers to the Sinnar registration office.

“Without showing us the details of the sale deed, he took signatures of all four of us and told us that he would pay us later,” claimed Mali.

Mali later found the sale deed mentioned ₹3.86 lakh.

“We took up the issue with Kharat. He threatened to cast evil spells on all four of us and our family members if they tried to raise any objections,” alleged Mali.

After Kharat’s arrest on March 18 following multiple complaints of sexual abuse and cheating, Mali decided to file a police complaint.