The Enforcement Directorate has seized gold jewellery worth more than Rs 1.1 crore, along with foreign currency, silver, and other valuables, from a bank locker connected to alleged fraud godman Ashok Kharat in Nashik, officials said on Tuesday. The recovery has significantly intensified the ongoing investigation into suspected money laundering, financial irregularities, and the broader financial network allegedly linked to Kharat and his associates.
According to officials, the locker was jointly operated by Ashok Kharat and his wife, Kalpana Kharat, at the Mumbai Naka branch of Vishwas Cooperative Bank. The locker was opened by ED officials on May 5 in the presence of the couple’s daughter as part of the investigation.
During the search operation, investigators recovered gold jewellery valued at approximately Rs 1,10,61,407. In addition to the gold, authorities also found silver articles worth around Rs 1,89,302 and foreign currency amounting to $5,500, which is estimated to be worth nearly Rs 5.18 lakh in Indian currency. Officials stated that all the valuables recovered from the locker have been seized under provisions related to the ongoing money laundering probe.
The Enforcement Directorate is now examining the origin of these assets and tracing the financial channels allegedly used to acquire them. Investigators are reportedly analysing banking records, transaction histories, and links between multiple financial accounts connected to Kharat and people associated with him.
Officials revealed that during earlier searches conducted in connection with the case, several bank accounts and lockers linked to Kharat and his associates had already been attached by authorities. The latest seizure is being viewed as another major development in the expanding investigation.
Ashok Kharat was recently arrested by police on allegations that he sexually assaulted women by falsely claiming to possess divine or supernatural powers. He is also accused of cheating and manipulating people by exploiting their religious beliefs and trust.
Investigators have additionally alleged that Kharat opened numerous bank accounts in the names of third parties through various cooperative credit societies operating in Nashik. Despite the accounts being registered under different names, officials claim that Kharat remained the sole nominee in all of them, raising suspicions of financial concealment and illegal fund movement.
In a separate case, a local court in Rahata recently remanded Kharat to police custody until May 9 in connection with a land purchase scam in Shirdi and alleged fraudulent transactions associated with the Samata Credit Society.
According to police officials, Kharat is accused of purchasing land from a complainant at a price significantly lower than its actual market value. Investigators also alleged that he carried out financial dealings involving interest payments calculated at nearly 2 percent per month, which authorities are now closely scrutinising.
The investigation is particularly focused on tracing the source of nearly Rs 5.52 crore allegedly used in these financial transactions. Officials are attempting to determine whether these funds were legally declared to tax authorities or if they originated from undisclosed or illegal sources.
Authorities further stated that at least 14 major financial transactions involving substantial sums of money have already been flagged as suspicious during the investigation. These transactions are now being examined for possible links to money laundering, tax evasion, fraudulent investments, and illegal financial operations.
Meanwhile, Kharat’s wife, Kalpana Kharat, is reportedly absconding. Police officials stated that further interrogation of Ashok Kharat is necessary to trace her location and understand her alleged involvement in the financial network under investigation.
Investigators are also probing the possible role played by intermediaries, associates, and officials connected to the financial institutions involved in the transactions. Authorities suspect that multiple individuals may have assisted in facilitating suspicious financial operations connected to Kharat’s activities.
What initially began as a criminal investigation involving allegations of sexual exploitation and cheating has now expanded into a large multi-agency probe. Enforcement authorities, police officials, and financial investigators are jointly examining suspected fraud, money laundering, undisclosed assets, and wider financial irregularities allegedly linked to Ashok Kharat and his network of associates.
