Ashok Kharat arrested in extortion, black magic, money laundering case: ED
According to ED, Kharat projected himself as an incarnation of Lord Shiva and claimed to possess supernatural powers.
Ashok Kharat was arrested by the ED’s Mumbai Zonal Office on May 19 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). (File photo) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested self-styled godman Ashokkumar Kharat alias “Captain” for allegedly running a multi-crore extortion and money laundering racket under the guise of spiritual healing and black magic rituals, officials said on Thursday.
Kharat was arrested by the ED’s Mumbai Zonal Office on May 19 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). A special PMLA court in Mumbai has remanded him to ED custody till May 26.
The arrest follows multiple FIRs registered against Kharat and his associates at police stations in Nashik and Ahilyanagar under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Maharashtra anti-black magic law.
According to ED, Kharat projected himself as an incarnation of Lord Shiva and claimed to possess supernatural powers, using fear, staged rituals and emotional manipulation to extort money and valuables from followers.
Investigators alleged victims were pressured into paying huge sums in the name of “Avatar Pooja”, spiritual remedies and divine intervention.
In one instance, the ED said a complainant spent nearly Rs 5.62 crore at Kharat’s direction on a luxury Mercedes-Benz car, foreign trips, medical treatment in the United States and the development of farmhouse properties.
The agency alleged that the proceeds of crime were laundered through multiple bank accounts, cooperative credit societies, benami deposits and proxy accounts allegedly opened without the knowledge of the account holders.
According to the ED, large amounts of cash were routed through cooperative credit societies, converted into fixed deposits and later withdrawn in cash. Investigators claimed Kharat controlled several such accounts using his own mobile number and nominee details.
The ED carried out a series of searches between April and May at premises linked to Kharat and his associates.
Share
