Three kilometres off the Sinnar-Shirdi road, Mirgaon, a village of around 1,700 people appears much like any other, with fields stretching on either side and homes scattered across a quiet landscape. But for years, one part of it functioned almost like a world of its own. At one end stands the Eshaneshwar temple complex, a space that villagers say, for years, operated almost separately from the life of the village.
“On Saturdays and Sundays, there would be vehicles lined up, cars constantly coming in,” said villager Bhimrao Shelke, pointing towards the approach road. “You could tell something was happening there.”
On Sunday, however, the difference was immediately noticeable. When The Indian Express visited, there were no visitors for nearly half an hour. The farmhouse inside the premises remained locked, and a few villagers stood at a distance, watching, speaking in low tones, most conversations circling back to one name — Kharat.
Days earlier, Ashokkumar Eknath Kharat, known as “Captain”, had been arrested in a sexual exploitation case, with at least seven women coming forward accusing him of sexual assault under the influence of sedatives. Kharat is not from Mirgaon. He grew up in Kahandalwadi, a village in Sinnar taluka a few kilometres away. He came to Mirgaon only to buy land and build his temple complex. In Mirgaon, where villagers claim they largely kept their distance from an outsider who had set up camp among them, that distance has now turned into anger and resentment and a demand to bar his entry from the village.
Villagers trace the beginnings to around 2008-9, when Kharat purchased roughly 21 acres of land in Mirgaon and built the Eshaneshwar temple. For villagers, the temple was not an extension of the village. It was a parallel space. Over the years, the complex expanded steadily, a farmhouse came up alongside the temple, open areas were developed for large gatherings, and surrounding land was cultivated. Today, villagers estimate the land under his control in the area at between 40 and 50 acres.
“It was his land, his temple,” said Ashok Shelke, a villager. “We were never part of it, not in managing anything, not in any decisions. We just visited when there is some program,” he said. For most residents, the temple remained a place they visited only during major events such as Mahashivratri, but not something they were connected to in daily life.
The complex is located near the Jam river, a tributary of the Godavari. A bund on the river regulates water flow further downstream. Villagers allege that during construction of the temple and farmhouse, work was carried out within the riverbed and that the natural course of the river may have been altered. “There was work done inside the river,” said Anil Jagtap, a villager. They have also raised questions about whether permissions were obtained from the gram panchayat for the construction of the farmhouse. Local authorities said these aspects are being examined, and the claims could not be independently verified.
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As the complex expanded, so did its visibility. In 2017–18, works worth Rs 1.05 crore were sanctioned for the temple premises under a state tourism scheme, with Rs 25 lakh released initially, according to a state government resolution. Villagers also pointed to a water tank built with public funds and supply of water from Darna dam. For villagers, state funding added to the perception that the setup had official backing. “When development started, more people began coming,” said Jagtap.
The steady stream of politicians, businessmen and senior officials lent him an aura of influence that discouraged questions. “When ministers and senior leaders started coming here, often with police security, who would dare question him? That itself showed how powerful he had become,” said Bhimrao Shelke. But those who came, villagers said, were almost entirely outsiders. “He didn’t mix with us. People from outside would come,” said Bhimrao Shelke.
Residents said Kharat would visit mainly on weekends, when the otherwise quiet stretch would see a steady flow of vehicles. Villagers recall businessmen, politicians, ministers and even senior officials visiting the premises, often with police security. “When such big people are coming, who are we to question anything?” Shelke said. “We would just watch.” “When funds and water are coming, you feel it must be something big and official. We had no courage to question,” he said.
Villagers say their understanding of Kharat came largely from what was said about him by outsiders. “We only knew what he claimed, that he had travelled to over 150 countries, spoke many languages, and that whatever he said would come true,” Shelke said. “People said he had divine powers. But we never saw anything like that.”
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“All the stories we heard were from outside. Not from here. But you never know, people fear him and there is also a stigma so people are not talking freely and openly about him now also. Even as they claim, they did not go, some of them must have gone and believed him but not coming forward fearing that Kharat would come out now also since he had so big connections,” said Bhimrao Shelke, adding that “Even now, hesitation and fear remains.” Police officials said they are verifying claims related to his background, and so far, no material has been found to support his claim of being a “gold medallist in cosmology”.
Following his arrest, police conducted searches at Kharat’s premises in Nashik and Sinnar, recovering a firearm, live cartridges, around Rs 8 lakh in cash, two laptops and documents related to properties worth several crores. Investigators have identified properties linked to Kharat and his family across Nashik, Sinnar and parts of Ahilyanagar district, including Shirdi and Rahata, with preliminary estimates suggesting assets worth around Rs 40 crore have come to light so far.
That silence has now broken, and what has emerged is not just anger but resentment built over years. “Had we known what he was involved in, we would not have allowed him to come here,” said Bhimrao Shelke. “He was never of any use to us. He only created trouble. We would not have allowed him in the village, had we even have a little idea about his wrongdoings,” villagers said in one voice. “He has spoiled the name of our village. He should not be allowed to return,” said Anil Jagtap.
Villagers said the anger was not only about the allegations but also about what they described as years of exclusion. “Our demand is simple. He should be barred from entering the village,” said Ashok Shelke along with other villagers in one voice. “We don’t want to see him here again,” they added. Villagers said a gram sabha would soon be called to formalise the demand.
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Gram sevak Ketan Nikam said the temple trust falls under the jurisdiction of the Charity Commissioner. “The village cannot take control of it. That decision has to be taken by the Charity Commissioner,” he said. He confirmed that villagers are planning to call a gram sabha soon with the resolutions suggested by villagers.
For years, they watched in silence. Now, they want that silence to end.
