The police in India on March 18 arrested a self-styled godman, Ashok Kharat, over rape charges by a woman accusing him of assaulting her for over a period of three years.
The spiritual leader was also accused of black magic and human sacrifice. The development has prompted a sexual assault investigation by the police, while the country’s income tax department is probing his financial trails.
Mr Kharat had also been accused of cheating, instilling fear of death, taking the total to eight cases.
A Pune-based businessman, Rajendra Jasud, filed a case with the Sarkarwada Police Station on Wednesday night.
According to the complaint, Mr Kharat manipulated and extorted Mr Jasud by allegedly instilling fear of death in him.
He alleged that Mr Kharat extorted money and foreign trips to 21 countries from 2018 to 2025 under the guise of gaining divine powers to curb the sarpa dosh (death due to snakebite) and bring success.
According to police, the survivor funded the trips and made financial transactions, believing he would succeed, but he did not. The SIT, headed by IPS officer Tejaswi Satpute, is probing all cases, including assault, digital transactions, and tracking all financial transactions and property holdings.
The Kharat episode has triggered political uproar in Maharashtra.
Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders demanded the resignation of Mahayuti party leaders associated with Mr Kharat, including NCP leader Rupali Chakankar, who later resigned.
Referring to Mr Kharat as “Bhondubaba,” Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President Harshvardhan Sapkal said, “Dozens of ministers and senior officials are involved in the Bhondubaba case, but the most shameful thing is that the chairperson of the State Women’s Commission, Chakankar, had relations with Bhondubaba, who sexually exploits women.”
Mr Sapkal also pointed out that after Ms Chakankar, the focus shifted to NCP leader and state’s Food and Drug Administration Minister Narhari Zirwal, saying, “While Maharashtra has been embarrassed enough by the lewd acts of dozens of ministers in the Mahayuti government who attended the immoral court of Bhondubaba Ashok Kharat, the objectionable video of another minister is going viral on social media. Both incidents reflect the moral decline of Maharashtra politics.”
On Thursday, he demanded the resignation of NCP leader and Food and Drug Administration Minister Narhari Zirwal after a video allegedly showed him with a transwoman in a compromising position at his official residence.
“The objectionable video is not just an isolated incident; it reflects the moral decline in Maharashtra’s politics,” said Mr Sapkal, adding that it is shocking to see such unethical behaviour of a public representative in whom people have invested their faith and money. “Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should now show Narhari Zirwal the way out of the cabinet without any delay.”
Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar also criticised the video but called it an outcome of internal conflict between the allies of Mahayuti, saying, “This gang war within the allies is trying to cut each other, which is not in good faith for the state.”
He also highlighted that the case of Ashok Kharat, who exploited so many women, is similar.
Meanwhile, social activist Anjali Damania on Thursday said, “Mr Zirwal should have been careful of the residence he was using; however, it is clear that the video was shot with the intention to blackmail, hence it requires investigation. Sambhaji Brigade created a stir by asking for Ashok Kharat to be shot dead.”
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