Astrologer Accused of Serious Offences Acquires Land Near Scrapped Highway Route
Revenue officials from Solapur district have officially confirmed a controversial land transaction involving Nashik-based astrologer Ashok Kharat and his wife, Kalpana. Kharat, who is embroiled in multiple legal cases including sexual offences, black magic, cheating, and illegal moneylending, purchased 4.5 hectares of land at Kalman village in North Solapur tehsil for a staggering Rs 2.4 crore in 2024.
Details of the High-Value Land Deal
According to an anonymous Solapur revenue official, the deal was executed in March 2023. The land, with an estimated market value of Rs 79 lakh, was acquired at more than three times its worth, with a stamp duty payment of Rs 12.04 lakh. This property is adjacent to the earlier proposed alignment of the Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway, a project that has since undergone significant route changes.
Broader Pattern of Land Acquisition Emerges
Revenue records reveal a concerning pattern of land purchases along the same scrapped expressway alignment. The wife of Kharat's chartered accountant also bought land nearby, adding to the intrigue as the accountant has filed a cheating complaint against Kharat. Furthermore, 7/12 extracts and land mutation documents indicate that several prominent politicians and senior serving and retired officials acquired land in the same period.
Activists Align Deal with Expressway Controversy
Anti-Shaktipeeth highway activists, led by convenor Ganesh Khodke from Solapur, allege that Kharat was part of a group including political leaders and officials who bought land to profit from future expressway benefits. Khodke stated, "There were talks about prominent people being on a land-buying spree. Now it is all coming to light. We believe the money spent on buying land is crime proceeds in cases like Kharat's."
Activists draw parallels to similar land-buying incidents during the Samruddhi Expressway development. They credit pressure from farmers in Kolhapur, Sangli, and parts of Solapur districts for forcing the government to alter the Shaktipeeth Expressway alignment, now routed through Satara's Man-Khatav region. Khodke added, "We oppose the highway due to existing infrastructure and farmland destruction concerns. We are meeting revenue authorities to demand an investigation into these dealings."
Implications and Calls for Investigation
This revelation raises serious questions about insider knowledge and potential corruption in land transactions linked to infrastructure projects. The involvement of individuals with criminal backgrounds like Kharat further complicates the matter, prompting calls for thorough probes by revenue and law enforcement agencies to ensure transparency and accountability.
