SIT Intensifies Probe into Nashik Astrologer's Alleged Crimes, Questions Temple Priest
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) leading the inquiry into serious charges against astrologer Ashok Kharat, including rape, human sacrifice, and black magic, conducted key interrogations on Sunday in Nashik. Officials confirmed that the team questioned Pramod Gadakh, the caretaker priest of the Ishaneshwar Mahadev temple in Mirgaon, which is linked to the accused, along with a watchman. This follows a lengthy seven-hour session on Saturday with a staffer from Kharat's office, as the SIT, under IPS officer Tejaswini Satpute, delves deeper into the case.
Evidence Seized and Property Transactions Under Scrutiny
Investigators have seized CCTV digital video recorders from multiple locations associated with Kharat: his Mirgaon farmhouse, Tikde Colony bungalow, and Canada Corner office in Nashik. The probe has uncovered alleged transactions connected to land in Sinnar and other areas of Nashik district, highlighting Kharat's purported influence among certain political circles. Sources indicate that Kharat and his relatives are under investigation for possessing documents related to 52 properties, adding a layer of financial scrutiny to the criminal allegations.
Multiple Cases Filed and Victims Come Forward
Ashok Kharat is named in cases registered at Vavi, Shirdi, and Sarkarwada police stations, encompassing charges of extortion, blackmail, rape, and black magic practices. In a countermove, Kharat has filed a complaint at Vavi police station, accusing two individuals of blackmailing him over obscene photographs. Authorities are actively reaching out to potential victims, with three women already having approached the police in Nashik, and more cases anticipated as the investigation progresses.
Government Action and Community Backlash
In a significant development, Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil canceled a 2020 government resolution on Saturday. This resolution had permitted the Shivanik Sansthan trust, linked to Kharat in Mirgaon, to lift 3.9 million litres of water daily from the Darna dam for "drinking purposes." It is alleged that Kharat diverted this water to his mango orchards, prompting Minister Patil to order a probe into the antecedents of the government resolution. Meanwhile, residents of Mirgaon, Kharat's village, have expressed anger over the tarnishing of their community's reputation, with some demanding capital punishment for the accused, seizure of his properties, and transfer of the temple run by his trust to local control.
