Ashok Kharat arrested for alleged exploitation of women, SIT says
Ashok Kharat, a self-proclaimed godman and astrologer, has been arrested for allegedly exploiting women by pretending to have supernatural abilities.
According to the Special Investigation Team (SIT), he used threats, like warning victims about harm to their families, through coercion and intimidation.
The SIT, led by IPS officer Tejaswi Satpute, has connected him to 12 criminal cases in Ahilya Nagar and Nashik, with most involving sexual assault.
SIT cyber team removed 4,650 links
Investigators found that Kharat used rituals with objects like stones and tamarind seeds to manipulate people.
Statements from 30 witnesses and victims have been recorded so far. Alongside sexual assault charges, he's also being investigated for financial fraud.
The SIT's cyber team removed 4,650 links related to objectionable videos of victims from social media and permanently deleted 451 accounts.