Two more cases registered against astrologer Ashok Kharat, more than 100 complaints received over phone

Nashik. Two more cases have been registered against astrologer Ashok Kharat. Police gave this information on Saturday. Police said that the Special Investigation Team probing against him has received more than 100 complaints over the phone. Along with this, a total of ten FIRs have been registered against Kharat at Sarkarwada police station in the city, of which eight relate to sexual harassment or exploitation and two to fraud.

Many prominent politicians of Maharashtra had been coming to meet Kharat for a long time. Kharat was arrested on March 18 after a woman made allegations against him. The woman had alleged that Kharat raped her several times over three years. Officials said another FIR was registered against him on Friday based on a complaint by a woman.

The woman told police that her relationship with her husband was strained and the family was facing financial problems, so she had approached Kharat for advice. Kharat allegedly told her that the woman would have to obey everything he said if she wanted a solution to her problems, and he sexually assaulted her between March 2022 and 2024.

The second FIR lodged on Friday was based on a complaint of fraud filed by Nevasa-based textile businessman Rajendra Bhagwat. Bhagwat told the police that he wanted to progress in his business and had met Kharat on the advice of a relative. It is alleged that Kharat took a gold ring and some gems from her and in return gave her a ring and a gem and asked her to wear it.

According to Bhagwat, he paid Rs 2.62 lakh for it, but later he learned that the ring and gemstone given by Kharat were fake, and he was defrauded. The SIT has published two phone numbers for people willing to provide any information about Kharat’s criminal activities.

A police officer said the SIT has received more than 100 complaints in the last five days, most of which are from women. But very few of them are coming forward to lodge written complaints, he said. The officer said that Kharat is also suspected to be involved in the hawala gang.