Kharat case emboldens victim to expose rape by Palghar 'godman'
What's the story
A self-styled godman in Maharashtra's Palghar district has been accused of raping a 35-year-old woman. The accused, who claimed to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva, allegedly committed the crime after luring the woman through Facebook in 2023, Hindustan Times reported, quoting an official. The complainant approached the police after drawing courage from another recent case that involved a former Merchant Navy officer, identified as Ashok Kharat.
Crime details
He claimed she was his 'Parvati'
The accused, a 40-year-old man who heads a social organization in Palghar, visited Pune in December 2023 to meet the woman. He allegedly deceived her into believing he was Mahadev, and she was his "Parvati." The complainant said he took her to a lodge in Manjari, Pune, where he drugged and raped her while taking photographs without consent.
Continued harassment
Accused blackmailed her
The complainant further alleged that the accused used the photographs to blackmail her. In May 2025, he allegedly called her to a hotel in Vasai and tried to sexually assault her again. Senior Inspector Hiralal Jadhav of Manikpur police station said the woman mustered the courage to report after hearing about Kharat's case in Nashik.
Legal proceedings
Case transferred to Pune police
Since the main crime occurred in Pune, a 'Zero FIR' was filed at Manikpur police station on Wednesday. The case has now been transferred to the Hadapsar police station in Pune for further investigation. A Zero FIR can be registered at any police station across India, irrespective of jurisdictional boundaries. The complainant also alleged that the accused had similarly lured and sexually exploited several other women. The police are now working to nab the accused.