'Need To Probe Crores Of Payments': Nashik 'Godman' Sent To Probe Agency Custody

A special court in Mumbai has remanded self-styled godman Ashok Kharat to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody till May 26 in connection with an alleged multi-crore money laundering and extortion case where investigators claimed he projected himself as a spiritual figure and collected huge sums of money from followers and associates.

During the hearing, the ED alleged that Kharat, who is facing 12 cases of sexual exploitation and financial fraud in Nashik and Ahilyanagar, extorted at least Rs 5.62 crore from one complainant and siphoned off money through multiple bank accounts and fixed deposits.

The probe agency told the court that Kharat used the money for foreign trips, purchasing vehicles and even medical treatment in the United States. Investigators further alleged that Kharat claimed to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva and promised to solve people's personal and spiritual problems in exchange for money.

The ED informed the court that similar allegations have surfaced in multiple FIRs registered against Kharat. According to the agency, transactions worth crores were routed through accounts linked to him at Bank of Baroda, while another complainant identified as Harshad was allegedly cheated of crores of rupees.

The agency also alleged that Kharat collected around Rs 2.5 crore in the name of real estate investments. ED lawyers argued that the investigation was aimed at tracing the purpose of these transactions and identifying others allegedly involved in the operation.

According to the ED, Kharat operated nearly 60 bank accounts and held 34 fixed deposit accounts, many of which were allegedly opened without proper KYC documentation. Investigators claimed that Rs 23.87 crore was withdrawn in cash from these accounts and that the source and end use of the funds needed to be examined. The agency also informed the court that Rs 24 lakh had been transferred to a person identified as Kalpana Kharat.

Seeking 10 days of custody, the ED argued that several people may have assisted Kharat in opening and operating the accounts and that custodial interrogation was necessary in the larger public interest.

Kharat's lawyers opposed the plea, arguing that the authorities already possessed all relevant documents and records. The defence questioned why no complaints had surfaced between 2021 and 2023 if the alleged extortion had indeed taken place during that period. The lawyers further argued that the ED was effectively presenting a "virtual chargesheet" at the remand stage and that prolonged custody was unnecessary.

During the proceedings, the judge directly questioned Kharat about the transactions and allegations against him. Responding to the court, Kharat claimed that the manager of Jagdamba Patsanstha, a rural cooperative credit society, had advised him to deposit the money in banks offering higher interest rates as government banks offered lower returns.

"I deposited the money to get favourable interest of 9 per cent," Kharat told the court.

When asked by the judge why several account holders had named him as nominee, Kharat replied that he was unaware of it.

The court subsequently granted ED custody of Kharat till May 26.