Kharat sent to judicial custody in co-operative credit society fraud case

Nashik: A magistrate’s court in Sinnar on Monday sent astrologer Ashok Kharat and Namkaran Aware, the former head of a co-operative credit society, to 14 days judicial custody in connection with a co-operative credit society fraud case.Namkaran Aware, who headed the Shri Jagdamba Mata Gramin Bigar Sheti Sahakari Pat Sanstha, was also remanded in police custody till May 18 by Judicial Magistrate First Class LC Wadikar.The arrests follow an investigation into the mismanagement of co-operative credit society. Police inspector Hemantkumar Bhamre stated that between Aug 2016 and Oct 2023, Kharat and Aware, serving as directors, allegedly opened 32 bogus accounts. Investigators claimed the duo bypassed standard procedures to move large sums of money through these fraudulent accounts.Kharat was initially arrested on May 12, followed by Aware’s detention the next day. A senior Nashik Rural Police official revealed that Kharat is facing a separate case involving allegations of fraud and black magic. In this instance, a grocery shop owner alleged that between 2003 and 2004, Kharat and his associates, including his wife, illegally seized 16.5 acres of land by registering it under the names of the complainant's own family members.While the Sinnar police intend to seek Kharat’s custody for the land-grab case later, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is expected to take him into custody first to investigate a money-laundering case registered against him.Ashok Kharat has a significant criminal history, with a total of 17 cases registered against him across Nashik city, Nashik district, and Ahilyanagar. His record includes 8 cases related to sexual offences against women, 9 cases involving fraud and violations of the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and Other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act.