Mumbai, Apr 13 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate on Monday conducted searches in multiple cities of Maharashtra as part of a money laundering investigation against self-styled godman Ashok Kharat and his linked entities, officials said.
Five premises in Kharat’s home town Nashik and three each in Pune and Shirdi have been raided. Residential and commercial premises linked to Kharat, his chartered accountant (CA) Prakash Pophale, Kharat’s relatives and some branches of cooperative credit societies are being covered, they said.
The ED filed a criminal case against Kharat under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on April 6 taking cognisance of a Nashik Police FIR filed against the controversial man on charges of extortion, religious manipulation, drug facilitated assault etc. on multiple women victims.
ED officials said Kharat opened multiple bank accounts with two cooperative credit societies based out of Nashik district in the name of third parties.
He was named as the nominee in these bank accounts and had linked his mobile number to exercise control over the operations of these accounts, the officials said.
Preliminary probe shows that he sold common items as “blessed items” by claiming they possessed divine healing powers. The money so collected from the victims and through the “extortion” operations, has been invested in various lands through his CA, they said.
The self-styled godman-cum-astrologer was arrested by the Nashik Police in March after a married woman accused him of raping her repeatedly over three years.
State police have registered a total of eight FIRs against him so far.
A subsequent probe by the police uncovered a host of crimes, including sexual assault and financial irregularities linked to land, opening of accounts in some cooperative credit societies, and other properties. PTI NES DV DV
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