Ashok Kharat case: Govt to investigate 'Godman's call records & assets, says Fadnavis

Mumbai: Controversial self-styled godman Ashok Kharat, who has been booked in a dozen cases of sexual assault and extortion by the Nashik police and is being investigated by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) will now face a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

“The ED will investigate the antecedents of Kharat's assets…The ED has taken cognizance and necessary action has been initiated,” Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the state’s Home Minister, told reporters in Nashik.

"All of Kharat's bank accounts have come to our notice and we have identified the transactions through them," he said.

The Chief Minister’s statement comes as Kharat’s name has also surfaced regarding alleged hawala transactions.

On the CDR exposed by social activist Anjali Damania, during which she claimed that Kharat and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde exchanged 17 calls and NCP’s Rupali Chakankar 117 calls, the Chief Minister said: “The leak of CDR in the Ashok Kharat case will be probed and strict action would be taken. No one has the right to access CDRs, only authorised agencies may do so. How this data was leaked and by whom will be investigated by the state government.”

On the SIT probe, he said that more individuals are coming forward with information about Kharat. “Around 12 cases have been registered so far,” he added.

“The SIT is receiving a lot of inputs, and we will not stop until we dig out the entire root of this issue. Strict punishment will be given in cases involving misconduct or atrocities against women,” he said.