2 months ago
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A tribunal successful Nashik connected Sunday (March 29, 2026) extended the police custody of self-styled godman Ashok Kharat, arrested successful a rape case, till April 1.
Kharat, who headed a temple spot astatine Mirgaon successful Nashik territory and whom respective salient Maharashtra politicians visited implicit the years, was arrested connected March 18 aft a pistillate accused him of raping her repeatedly implicit 3 years.
Ten FIRs, 8 for alleged intersexual battle oregon exploitation and 2 for cheating, person truthful acold been registered against him astatine Sarkarwada constabulary presumption successful the city.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is conducting a probe against him, has received much than 100 complaints, astir of them from women, implicit the telephone successful the past fewer days, constabulary said connected Saturday.
Kharat was produced earlier the tribunal connected Sunday aft the extremity of his erstwhile constabulary custody. The tribunal asked Kharat whether helium had immoderate complaints, to which helium replied negatively.
During the hearing, nationalist authoritative Shailendra Bagde said the probe successful the lawsuit was inactive connected and the accused was not cooperating.
The enquiry into the properties of the accused is inactive to beryllium done. Many women are inactive coming guardant to lodge complaints and the enquiry is yet to beryllium done into the alleged "water" oregon liquid that Kharat utilized to springiness the victims to seduce them earlier sexually exploiting them, helium said.
The mobile telephone information of the accused has been scanned, and a clone study has been received. An enquiry is to beryllium conducted into whether helium saved the names of his contacts — particularly governmental leaders — with dummy identities, and overmuch integer evidences are yet to beryllium checked, the authoritative told the court.
The lawsuit is large and others volition person to beryllium brought earlier the accused for the inquiry. Investigators besides person yet to find whether immoderate accomplices were progressive successful the crime. For each this, Kharat's 3 day-custody is needed, helium said.
The SIT submitted Kharat's laptops, mobile telephone and immoderate documents earlier the court.
SIT serviceman Kirankumar Suryavanshi besides informed the tribunal astir the probe done truthful acold and demanded hold of Kharat's constabulary custody.
Defence lawyer Sachin Bhate, however, said the SIT was giving the aforesaid reasons that had been cited for constabulary custody during the earlier hearing.
What has the SIT done successful the probe to date? helium asked, claiming that the probe has been completed and determination is nary crushed to widen the constabulary custody.
On the different side, lawyer M.Y. Kale, representing a victim, supported the prosecutor's request for hold of Kharat's constabulary custody.
The accused has not cooperated and the investigating bureau cannot beryllium held liable for it, helium said.
"These allegations and crimes are precise heinous and anti-social. They person the imaginable to devastate families and interaction nine astatine large. Therefore, considering the intricacy of the allegations, the request for the constabulary custody should beryllium considered," Kale said successful his argument.
After proceeding the arguments, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (14th) MV Bharade extended Kharat's constabulary custody till April 1.
