Ashok Kharat Sexual Exploitation, Fraud Cases

Ashok Kharat, a self-styled astrologer-cum-godman, has been remanded to judicial custody in India — Nashik, India — Maharashtra, facing multiple charges of sexual exploitation and financial fraud. He is accused of exploiting several women, often by drugging them and threatening them with divine destruction or death if they revealed the incidents. Additionally, Kharat is alleged to have committed large-scale financial fraud, including cheating his former Chartered Accountant of INR 8.76 crore by convincing him to pay for expensive rituals to prevent his parents' death. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) is probing 12 registered cases across India — Nashik and India — Ahmednagar districts, with more complaints emerging across India — Maharashtra. The SIT has recovered objectionable video evidence from Kharat's farmhouse in India — Sinnar taluka and sensitive documents from his residence. The case has also garnered political attention due to Kharat's connections with political leaders.