MUMBAI, Mar 24: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday presented a detailed account in the Legislative Assembly on the investigation and action taken against self-proclaimed godman Ashok Kharat, outlining the sequence of events that led to his arrest and the uncovering of an alleged large-scale criminal network involving sexual exploitation, blackmail, and fraud.
According to the Chief Minister, the case took an unusual turn on December 20, 2025, when Kharat himself approached the Wavi Police Station in Nashik. He alleged that a man, identified as Dinesh Parab, had sent him “view-once” photographs with a woman and demanded rupees 5 crore to prevent them from being made public.
Police initiated a probe into the extortion complaint. However, during the course of the investigation, officers began examining Kharat’s activities more closely, which ultimately led to the exposure of his own alleged crimes.
On February 18, 2026, a woman in Shirdi filed a complaint alleging that AI-generated obscene images were being used to blackmail her. While tracking a suspect in that case, police were shown crucial digital evidence by a witness, Yogesh Bhalerao.
The witness reportedly handed over 35 videos involving eight different women. The footage allegedly showed Kharat performing so-called black magic rituals and sexually assaulting victims under the pretext of possessing “divine powers.” Police provided security assurances to the witness, who had initially expressed fear for his life, to secure the evidence.
Given the gravity of the allegations, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted on March 13, 2026, to consolidate cases registered across Shirdi and Wavi police stations.
Anticipating the possibility of Kharat fleeing the country, authorities issued a Lookout Circular (LOC) on March 10, 2026, in coordination with airport authorities to restrict his international travel.
Kharat was arrested late on March 17, 2026, at 11:59 PM after a victim lodged a formal complaint at Sarkarwada Police Station, accusing him of hypnotism and repeated sexual assault.
The Chief Minister revealed that assets worth approximately 40 crore linked to Kharat have been identified so far. These include 33 acres of land, a farmhouse, a 40-guntha plot in Panvel, a residential flat in Pune, and a marriage hall in Sinnar.
Investigators also found that Kharat had travelled extensively to 13 countries, including the United States, France, Australia, the UAE, South Africa, Indonesia and Peru.
During searches, police seized 6.5 lakh in cash, two laptops, a revolver, 21 live cartridges and five used cartridges from his premises.
Fadnavis noted that many victims were initially reluctant to come forward due to fear and social stigma. Police undertook counseling efforts, assured protection, and explained legal safeguards to encourage victims to file complaints.
As a result, six additional victims – including three identified from the seized videos – have since come forward.
Authorities have issued notices to news channels, directing them not to disclose the identities of victims. Meanwhile, cyber cells are working to remove objectionable and sensitive content related to the case from social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.
The investigation has now expanded to examine the operations of “Shivnika Sansthan,” an organisation allegedly linked to Kharat. Police are also probing properties held in the names of his relatives.
Statements of key individuals, including his driver, domestic staff and associated priests, are being recorded as part of efforts to build a comprehensive and legally strong case.
The Chief Minister assured the Assembly that strict action would be taken and that the investigation would be pursued to its logical conclusion.
(UNI)
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