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The self-styled godman-cum-astrologer was arrested successful March aft a joined pistillate accused him of raping her repeatedly implicit 3 years
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis connected Sunday (April 5, 2026) assured a probe into the alleged CDR leak successful the lawsuit of the self-styled godman Ashok Kharat and an investigation into his assets by the Enforcement Directorate.
No 1 has the close to get specified telephone information records, Mr. Fadnavis said amid a furore aft activistic Anjali Damania connected Friday (April 3, 2026) made revelations astir calls purportedly exchanged betwixt Mr. Kharat and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who heads Shiv Sena.
The self-styled godman-cum-astrologer was arrested successful March aft a joined pistillate accused him of raping her repeatedly implicit 3 years. A full of 8 FIRs person been registered against him truthful far.
A consequent probe uncovered a big of crimes, including intersexual battle and fiscal irregularities linked to onshore and different properties.
After his arrest, photos of Mr. Kharat with salient Maharashtra politicians, including Mr. Shinde and NCP person Rupali Chakankar, went viral. Mr. Shinde, past Maharashtra Chief Minister, had visited Mr. Kharat's temple successful 2022.
"The leak of telephone information records (CDR) successful the Ashok Kharat lawsuit volition beryllium probed, and strict enactment volition beryllium taken. No 1 has the close to entree telephone information records (CDRs); lone authorised agencies whitethorn bash so. How this information was leaked and by whom volition beryllium investigated by the authorities government," Mr. Fadnavis said successful Nashik.
He said specified allegations are not capable successful delicate cases, adding that enactment volition beryllium taken based connected coagulated evidence.
Mr. Fadnavis besides said the Enforcement Directorate volition analyse the antecedents of Mr. Kharat's assets.
The ED has taken cognisance of the substance and has begun action, helium told reporters.
"All accounts of Mr. Kharat person travel to our notice, and the transactions done them person been identified. It is my steadfast content that each amerciable assets and wrongdoing volition beryllium exposed," helium asserted.
The CDR contention raged aft activistic Ms. Damania claimed to person received Mr. Kharat's CDR (Call Detail Records) connected WhatsApp from an chartless number.
"There were 17 calls betwixt Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde and Ashok Kharat," Ms. Damania had said without specifying the period, adding that the longest speech lasted for 21 minutes.
Citing the “CDR”, she claimed that Mr. Kharat had spoken connected the telephone for the longest duration, aft his wife, with Ms. Chakankar. There were arsenic galore arsenic 177 calls betwixt Ms. Chakankar and Mr. Kharat, dispersed implicit 33,727 seconds, Ms. Damania said.
She had besides claimed 8 calls each were exchanged betwixt Mr. Kharat and BJP person Chandrakant Patil, and NCP person Sunil Tatkare. There was besides a telephone betwixt Mr. Kharat and BJP Minister Ashish Shelar.
Meanwhile, the Opposition NCP (SP) has demanded a just probe into the alleged CDR leak and surfacing of related video clips.
"If CDRs oregon video clips are deliberately circulated, it raises superior questions astir intent and legality. The emergence of these CDRs has created wide suspicion. If idiosyncratic has knowingly distributed this material, authorities indispensable probe it and marque the findings public," State NCP (SP) president Shashikant Shinde told reporters.
He urged the State authorities and constabulary to clarify however specified recordings were obtained and whether immoderate idiosyncratic was targeted.
Mr. Shinde stressed that if a peculiar idiosyncratic oregon governmental enactment is unfairly targeted, it indispensable beryllium examined wrong the model of antiauthoritarian norms.
"The contented of CDR leaks is not simply a governmental contention but besides a substance of nationalist spot and ineligible propriety," helium added.
Mr. Shinde reiterated that NCP (SP) volition not contention the Baramati Assembly bypoll arsenic a people of respect for precocious Ajit Pawar, portion his enactment volition consult different MVA allies to contention the Rahuri bypoll.
