Enforcement Directorate Files Money Laundering Chargesheet Against Ashok Kharat, Attaches Assets Worth ₹36.90 Crore

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has stepped up its investigation into self-proclaimed godman Ashok Kharat by filing a money laundering chargesheet against him, his wife Kalpana Kharat, and four other individuals before a special court. The agency has also attached assets valued at ₹36.90 crore as part of its ongoing probe into allegations that Kharat exploited women through claims of possessing "mind reading" abilities and by manipulating their emotions in order to defraud them.

Ashok Kharat is already facing several criminal proceedings, including charges of rape and violations under the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act. These cases have been registered at police stations in Nashik, Shirdi, Ahilyanagar, and Rahata. During the course of its money laundering investigation, the ED carried out searches at properties linked to Kharat and concluded that he had accumulated benami assets worth several crores of rupees across various parts of Maharashtra.

According to investigators, Kharat allegedly built the confidence of his followers by taking advantage of their emotional vulnerabilities, enabling him to accumulate considerable wealth. The ED alleges that the proceeds of these activities were converted into immovable properties, gold jewellery, and cash. Investigators further contend that the illicit funds were laundered through two cooperative credit societies, numerous bank accounts, and a network of benami accounts used to conceal the movement and ownership of the money.

In its approximately 3,000-page chargesheet, the ED alleges that Kharat routed crores of rupees through as many as 142 benami bank accounts. According to the agency, the laundering operation relied on cooperative credit societies, accounts held in the names of others, family members, and close associates to disguise the origin of the funds before they were invested in real estate and high-value properties located in Nashik, Sinnar, Ahilyanagar, Solapur, Pune, and Mumbai. Investigators also allege that several of these assets were registered in the names of Kharat's wife, daughter, and other relatives as part of the scheme.

Ashok Kharat was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in March and remains in judicial custody while the investigation continues. His wife, Kalpana Kharat, has reportedly been absconding for several months, and law enforcement authorities have so far been unable to locate her. Meanwhile, the couple's son was questioned by police for several hours during the investigation before being released.

By fLEXI tEAM