Senior Maharashtra govt official suspended for alleged links with 'godman' Ashok Kharat

Kharat was arrested in March after a woman accused him of rape, with subsequent probe revealing allegedly financial irregularities involving 'benami' bank accounts as well as dubious land dealings.

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Thursday suspended Deputy Collector Abhijit Bhande-Patil for his alleged links with self-styled godman Ashok Kharat, in the first such crackdown on officials after the case rocked the state earlier this year.

Kharat was arrested in March this year after a woman accused him of rape, with subsequent probe revealing allegedly financial irregularities involving 'benami' bank accounts as well as dubious land dealings.

State Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said preliminary probe suggests Bhande-Patil has links with Kharat.

"So he, prima facie, appears to be guilty. I have decided to suspend Bhande-Patil. Till the probe is over, we have decided to suspend Bhande-Patil," Bawankule said.

In March, the Maharashtra government repatriated Bhande-Patil to his parent department. He was currently posted as deputy collector in the Slum Rehabilitation Authority in Mumbai.