Hidden Cameras, 58 Women: Nashik Astrologer And His Farmhouse Of Secrets

An influential astrologer, Ashok Kharat, has been arrested for allegedly repeatedly raping a 35-year-old woman under the guise of spirituality in Maharashtra's Nashik, police said. 

The victim alleges that under the pretext of performing rituals, the 67-year-old astrologer administered an intoxicant to her, hypnotised her, and exploiting her faith sexually assaulted her.

Police investigation has revelead that the sexual exploitation was not limited to just one woman. 

According to the police FIR, Kharat, who refers to himself as 'Captain' as he is a retired Merchant Navy officer, used to summon women to his office by luring them with promises of resolving their personal problems. 

Once there, he would hypnotise them by administering an intoxicant, police said. 

Subsequently, he would rape the women by instilling fear in them -specifically, by threatening them with the death of their husbands or by invoking the dread associated with occult practices, the police said.

The investigation has revealed that Kharat had installed hidden CCTV cameras within his office. 

The police have recovered a pen drive that reportedly contains video clips depicting obscene acts involving 58 different women.

The state government has constituted a Special Investigation Team, or SIT, led by IPS officer Tejaswini Satpute, to investigate the matter. 

The Nashik Crime Branch Unit 1 is conducting a thorough examination of the incriminating videos and documents recovered from the accused.

The accused maintained an office named 'Oakus Property Dealers and Developers' in Nashik's upscale Canada Corner locality. However, it is alleged that the business conducted was not that of real estate, but of crime.

He had successfully positioned himself within society as a highly accomplished astrologer and a possessor of divine powers. 

He is rumoured to have political connections spanning from Delhi all the way to the corridors of power in Maharashtra. 

In Mirgaon, he owns the Ishanyeshwar Temple and a lavish retreat, where prominent and influential figures would frequently visit to pay their respects.

As the chairman of the Shri Ishanyeshwar Temple Trust, located in Nashik's Sinnar, Kharat was widely recognised as a spiritual guide to prominent politicians, celebrities, and business tycoons.

How The Arrest Happened?

To prevent any leak regarding the impending arrest, the police team executed a highly covert operation to arrest the accused from his Nashik farmhouse. 

Under the cover of darkness, they police created a chaotic scene outside the accused's residence by shouting "thief, thief". Using this commotion as a pretext, the team gained direct entry into Kharat's home, and before he could even comprehend what was happening, the police arrested him right from his bedroom.

During the ongoing raids, a pistol, live cartridges, and several spent cartridges were recovered from his farmhouse.

An intensive search was also conducted at the temple and hermitage located in Mirgaon, yielding to the discovery of several suspicious documents. 

Additionally, multiple properties owned by him across Maharashtra have come under the scope of the investigation, police said.

Political Row Erupts

The case has now also triggered a political storm. 

Many politicians and well-known individuals had visited the astrologer in the past.

"Should the feet of those who exploit women be washed? We demand that the Deputy Chief Minister take cognisance of this conduct," Sushma Andhare of Uddhav Thackeray's party said.