A Special PMLA Court on Wednesday remanded self-styled godman Ashok Kharat to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody till May 26 in connection with an alleged Rs 70 crore money laundering case.
Kharat, who is already facing multiple charges including rape, fraud and sexual exploitation, was produced before the court after being arrested by the ED on Tuesday. The central agency had sought his custodial interrogation for 10 days to facilitate a detailed probe into the alleged financial irregularities.
The ED registered a case against Kharat under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on April 6 after taking cognisance of a Nashik Police FIR. The case involves allegations of extortion, religious manipulation and drug-facilitated assaults on multiple women.
Apart from the money laundering investigation, Kharat faces several FIRs related to rape and sexual exploitation. He was arrested by Nashik Police on March 18 after a married woman accused him of repeatedly raping her over a period of three years.
According to the ED, Kharat allegedly orchestrated a large-scale extortion network and laundered more than Rs 70 crore through a complex web of benami bank accounts. Investigators suspect that the funds were routed through accounts held in others’ names to conceal the true ownership and source of money.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is currently probing 12 separate cases involving allegations of sexual exploitation and financial fraud against Kharat across Nashik and Ahilyanagar districts.
Before his ED arrest, Kharat was lodged in judicial custody in Nashik and was later brought to Mumbai on a production warrant for further proceedings.
