Ashok Kharat Case: SIT Detains Self-Styled Godman's Son Harshvardhan in Nashik, Over 100 Complaints Surface

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing allegations against rape-accused self-styled godman Ashok Kharat, on Tuesday detained his son Harshvardhan from Nashik city for questioning, police said. Officials confirmed that at least 10 FIRs have been registered against Kharat at Sarkarwada police station in Nashik, including eight cases related to alleged sexual assault or exploitation and two linked to cheating. Apart from the formal complaints, the SIT has also received more than 100 allegations over phone calls against him, reported PTI. Acting on the investigation, an SIT team reached Kharat’s residence in Karmayogi Nagar, detained his son, and later took him to the Maharashtra Police Academy for detailed interrogation, police said reported PTI.

The investigators are also making efforts to trace Kharat’s wife Kalpana, who remains untraceable as the SIT team failed to locate her at the residence during the operation, officials said. In her absence, their son was detained for questioning as part of the probe. Kharat is currently in police custody, which is set to end on Wednesday, after which he will be produced before a local court, police added.

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Meanwhile, in neighbouring Ahilyanagar district, police on Tuesday registered a case against five individuals, including Kharat’s wife, for allegedly cheating a landowner of over ₹4 crore, while two accused have already been arrested in the temple town of Shirdi, officials said. However, Kalpana Kharat is still absconding, and a search operation is underway to locate her, reported PTI.

"A land owner from Shirdi had borrowed an unsecured loan of ₹5.52 crore from Kharat's wife against four acres of land. He had made repayment of around ₹1.5 crore, but Kharat allegedly tried to grab the land. The owner then lodged a complaint with the police, based on which a case was registered for fraud and under the Maharashtra Money Lending Act," he said, reported PTI. The arrested accused have been identified as Arvind Bawake and Kiran Sonawane, while Kharat, his wife Kalpana, and a middleman involved in the transaction are currently wanted in the case, police officials said, reported PTI.