The Special Investigation team, which is probing the case of Ashok Kharat, the self-styled godman who has been arrested for the rape of multiple women, has intensified its investigation.
Police are now hunting for his wife, Kalpana Ashok Kumar Kharat, who is absconding in the case. She had last tried to call ministers when police arrested Kharat.
Kalpana, who was formerly known as Sunita, was based in Padali village in Sinnar, Nashik district.
Kalpana and Ashok Kharat had an arranged marriage after her elder brother and father passed away.
Due to their age gap, Kharat had taken up the expenses of their wedding. While she came from a poorer background, after her marriage, she led a life of luxury, Lokmat reported.
Kharat's son Harshavardhan and daughter Triptabala have also been taken into police custody after the SIT raided their residence in Karmayogi Nagar.
Kalpana is wanted in a cheating case that developed in parallel to the Ashok Kharat’s sexual assault charges.
The couple allegedly ripped off an individual who alleged a fraud of more than Rs 4 crore involving a landowner over four acres of land.
Two accused, Arvind Bawake and Kirn Sonawe, have already been arrested in the case. Police are now making efforts to trace Kalpana and another accused Ashok Prabhat Tambe.
"A land owner from Shirdi had borrowed an unsecured loan of Rs 5.52 crore from Kharat's wife against four acres of land. He had made repayment of around Rs 1.5 crore, but Kharat allegedly tried to grab the land. The owner then lodged a complaint with the police, based on which a case was registered for fraud and under the Maharashtra Money Lending (Regulation) Act," officials told PTI.
The case is based on a complaint filed by Raosahed Gondkar, a 55-year-old resident of Rahata
Gondkar had approached Kharat in August 2023 seeking a loan of Rs 5.52 crore to clear his debts.
He was asked to execute a sale deed of his land for security, along with a memorandum of understanding and an agreement to sell, which allowed him to repurchase the property by August 2024 for Rs 6.07 crore.
Kharat, however, allegedly pressured Gondkar to make additional payments with interest through intermediaries.
Ashok Kharat, who is currently in police custody, is expected to be produced before a local court on Wednesday as his custody period comes to an end. The SIT is likely to present updates on the investigation and seek further legal directions.
