Nashik Court Grants Police Custody to ‘Godman’ Ashok Kharat in Sixth Complaint

Nashik- A court in Nashik has sent self-styled godman Ashok Kharat to police custody till April 26 in connection with another complaint of sexual exploitation, officials said.

The order was passed by Chief Judicial Magistrate B N Ichpurani after the prosecution sought custody for further investigation. The accused, who was arrested last month, is already facing multiple complaints across districts in Maharashtra.

According to investigators, the latest complaint involves allegations that a woman approached Kharat for personal assistance, following which she was allegedly exploited. Police also told the court that intimidation and misuse of personal documents were part of the allegations under examination.

The probe is being handled by a Special Investigation Team, which is looking into several complaints registered in Nashik and Ahilyanagar districts. Officials said the investigation includes both exploitation-related allegations and suspected financial irregularities linked to the accused.

During the hearing, the prosecution argued that custody was necessary to examine financial transactions and gather further evidence. The defence, however, opposed the request, stating that similar grounds had been cited in previous proceedings.

After considering the submissions, the court granted police custody for a limited period to allow investigators to continue their inquiry.

Authorities said the investigation is ongoing and further details are expected as the probe progresses.