Ashok Kharat faces fresh FIR amid multiple criminal cases

Nashik police registered another cheating case against self-styled godman Ashok Kharat, accused of defrauding his Chartered Accountant of ₹8.76 crore. He already faces multiple cases of sexual exploitation and fraud across Maharashtra and remains in police custody

Nashik: Police have registered one more case of cheating against self-styled astrologer-cum-godman Ashok Kharat in Nashik, who has been arrested for alleged sexual exploitation of several women and fraud, an official said on Saturday.

In the latest case, Kharat is accused of cheating his then Chartered Accountant of Rs 8.76 crore during 2018-23. On the complaint lodged by the CA, a case was registered at the Sarkarwada police station late Friday night.

---

The victim was once a confidant of Kharat and served as a trustee of his Shivanika Trust that managed the affairs of a temple in Sinnar taluka. The FIR stated that Kharat had allegedly told the victim that his parents may die and to avoid the impending event, specific rituals needed to be performed.

The 12 cases registered against Kharat so far include eight offences of sexual exploitation of women and four cases of cheating. Seven more cases have been filed in various cities in Maharashtra. Kharat was on Friday remanded in police custody till April 26 in the sixth case of sexual exploitation registered against him.