Mumbai, May 20: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) presented Ashok Kharat, an alleged fraudster from Nashik, in a special PMLA court after his arrest in a money laundering case. The court has remanded Kharat to ED custody for seven days.
During the proceedings, the judge asked Kharat if he wished to make any allegations against the police, to which he shook his head in denial.
The judge further inquired, “Do you understand the charges against you?” Kharat responded that the manager of Jagdamba Pat Sanstha had asked him about the use of the money. He claimed to have deposited funds in the bank to earn a 9% interest. When asked why he was the only nominee, Kharat replied, “I was not aware of this.”
The ED sought Kharat’s custody for seven days, which the court granted until May 26.
According to the ED, Kharat deceived people by claiming to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva, extorting over ₹5 crore from a single complainant. The investigation revealed that he used the fraudulently obtained money to purchase luxury cars, acquire a farmhouse, and travel abroad. Allegations include using the complainant’s funds to buy a Mercedes Benz and taking possession of the car after repaying the loan. Additionally, he misused the complainant’s credit card. The ED reported that Kharat also extorted ₹2.5 crore under the guise of real estate transactions.
The investigation agency noted that Kharat opened 60 bank accounts, where he was both the beneficiary and nominee. A total of ₹23.87 crore was withdrawn in cash from these accounts. The ED is currently conducting a detailed investigation into the source of this cash and its usage. Suspicious transactions amounting to millions have also been identified in Bank of Baroda under his name.
The ED informed the court that Kharat has multiple FIRs registered against him for similar fraud and extortion cases. He is also accused of defrauding a person named Harshad of millions.
According to ED officials, this case pertains to the investigation of a money trail. The inquiry aims to determine how many individuals were deceived and who the actual owner of the funds is. Kharat has been active as a ‘Baba’ in Nashik for a long time, collecting substantial amounts from devotees by offering spiritual healing and solutions to their problems.
The ED team is also scrutinizing Kharat’s assets, bank accounts, and associates. As the investigation progresses, further significant revelations are anticipated.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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