The lives of many women who fell prey to fraudster Ashok Kharat's sexual assaults remain far from normal following the leaking of videos on social media. Many women remain confined to their homes and fear facing the world after their identities were compromised online, local media reports said.
A Marathi media report stated that at least eight women who were exploited by the self-styled godman Ashok Kharat have approached psychiatrists. They decided to seek help from mental health professionals after finding it distressing to lead a social life as they did before, the report said.
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It is reported that several women involved in the case are suffering from severe depression, TV9 Marathi said in a report. The fear of the unknown, after several videos of the crimes were leaked online, is the primary cause of their trauma, the report added. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) leading the probe against Kharat has assured them that they are completely safe and urged them not to feel pressured, while also promising that justice will be delivered. The Maharashtra Cyber Police remains vigilant to ensure the videos are not shared on any online platforms, the report added.
The survivors are being questioned by the special team at undisclosed locations, and authorities have advised that the case be handled sensitively, considering the mental trauma involved. The police have also appealed to the public not to share or forward such videos, warning that strict action and legal cases will be filed against anyone who does so.
Earlier, it was reported that videos of sexual exploitation committed by Ashok Kharat had been removed from as many as 170 websites of a pornographic nature. As a consequence of the video leaks, not just the survivors but also their immediate families have been confined to their residences. Fearing the worst, some have even requested or availed themselves of work-from-home opportunities from their employers, media reports said.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Congress on Saturday said sensitive information related to the arrested self-styled godman Ashok Kharat was being leaked and asked if the Mahayuti government was using state machinery to settle personal scores.
Kharat was arrested on 18 March for allegedly raping a woman for three years, with a subsequent probe uncovering a host of crimes, including sexual assault and financial irregularities. A total of eight FIRs have been registered against him so far.