ED Moves Court for Custody of ‘Godman’ Ashok Kharat in ₹70 Cr Money Laundering Case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has approached a special court in Mumbai under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), seeking a production warrant for self-styled godman and astrologer Ashok Kharat , currently in police custody in Nashik in connection with multiple rape and fraud cases .

The federal agency registered its money laundering case against Kharat on April 6, based on a Nashik Police FIR accusing him of extortion, religious manipulation, and drug-facilitated sexual assault of multiple women. The special PMLA court is scheduled to hear the ED’s plea on May 2 .

Kharat was arrested on March 18 after a married woman alleged he repeatedly raped her over three years . He faces several other FIRs related to sexual exploitation . A Nashik court recently remanded him to police custody until May 4 in a separate case involving the alleged cheating of a Pune-based businessman of over ₹5 crore .

According to the ED, Kharat orchestrated a large-scale extortion racket and laundered more than ₹70 crore through a network of benami bank accounts . Investigators allege he opened around 60 accounts in a single day using victims’ documents without consent.

The agency further claims Kharat used proceeds of crime to acquire movable and immovable assets in his name and those of family members. He is also accused of selling ordinary items as “blessed” objects to defraud followers.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is probing 12 cases of sexual exploitation and financial fraud linked to Kharat across Nashik and Ahilyanagar districts.