Nashik Court Extends Police Custody for Self-Styled Godman Ashok Kharat in Sixth Sexual Exploitation Case; Separate FIR Filed Against Another Figure
Introduction
A court in Nashik has ordered self-proclaimed spiritual figure Ashok Kharat to remain in police custody until April 26 in a sixth case of alleged sexual exploitation. Meanwhile, police have registered a separate First Information Report (FIR) against another individual, Maheshgiri alias Mahesh Dilip Kakde, for similar offenses.
Main Body
Ashok Kharat, a former Merchant Navy officer who presented himself as a godman, was arrested on March 18. He faces accusations of sexually exploiting multiple women and carrying out large-scale financial fraud by claiming he had divine powers and knowledge of black magic. The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is examining 12 cases against Kharat in Nashik and Ahilyanagar districts, requested his custody in the sixth case. The court granted this request, and Kharat appeared via video conferencing for security reasons. The prosecution argued that the accused gave the victim a sedative, raped her, and forced her to take part in rituals. The prosecution also stated that a financial investigation was necessary. Kharat’s legal representative, Sachin Bhate, claimed that the police were investigating the same facts across multiple cases and using identical arguments to request custody. SIT officer Ravindra Manjre responded that each case involved a different victim and time period, which required a detailed inquiry. Chief Judicial Magistrate B N Ichpurani then ordered Kharat’s police custody until April 26. At the same time, the Nashik police have filed an FIR against Maheshgiri alias Mahesh Dilip Kakde, another self-proclaimed godman, for the alleged sexual exploitation of a 28-year-old woman. According to officials, the alleged offenses took place in 2024. The victim filed a complaint on Wednesday after receiving counseling from activists of the Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (ANS), an anti-superstition organization. The complaint states that the woman’s parents took her to a religious center known as ''Prati Gangapur'' in Dharangaon village near Lasalgaon to address personal problems. Kakde allegedly claimed she was affected by ''Karni'', instructed the family to perform rituals, and later sent obscene messages, took her to a lodge, and sexually exploited her. He is also accused of taking inappropriate photographs and threatening her with consequences if she reported the incident. A case was registered at Lasalgaon police station under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013.
Conclusion
The legal proceedings against Ashok Kharat continue with an extension of police custody for a sixth case, while a separate investigation has begun against Maheshgiri alias Mahesh Dilip Kakde following a recent complaint. Both cases involve allegations of sexual exploitation by individuals who claimed to have divine powers.