‘Targeted pregnant women’: 2 more rape FIRs on Nashik astrologer 'Captain' Ashok Kharat

NASHIK: The Sarkarwada police on Saturday registered two more cases of rape and other charges against arrested astrologer Ashokkumar Kharat.

One of these new cases relate to a complaint lodged by Kharat's former employee accusing him of sexually assaulting the complainant's seven-month pregnant wife (30) between Nov 2023 and Dec 2025 on the pretext of performing spiritual rituals.

The other case relates to a complaint by another woman. She accused Kharat of raping her at regular intervals between Feb 2020 and March this year on the pretext of securing her a bright future after she went through a marital discord and divorce, and sedating and terminating her pregnancy when she told him that she was pregnant, the police said.

Kharat, arrested on March 17 in the first rape case, is in police custody till March 24.

Kharat's former employee said in his complaint that he was into grocery trade and land sale-purchase activity but was not making enough money. Hence, he joined Kharat's property development office in Nashik city in 2019.

The complainant alleged that Kharat molested his wife on the pretext of giving her his blessings for a healthy child. When she narrated her experience, the complainant decided to dig deep into Kharat's activities and got a CCTV camera installed in Kharat's cabin to collect video evidence of his alleged acts against women. The evidence showed Kharat would force women visiting his office to consume sedative laced drinks as part of an Aghori ritual, incapacitate and rape them, the complainant told the police.

When he started confronting Kharat, the latter fired him from job. When Kharat learned that the complainant possessed video evidence, he started threatening him and his family. The complainant stated that he did not approach the police earlier because of Kharat's connections with senior politicians. Upon hearing of Kharat's arrest by the Nashik police, he decided to register a complaint.

On the basis of the complaint, the Sarkarwada police registered an FIR against Kharat for offences punishable under sections 64(1) [rape], 74 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 351(2) [criminal intimidation] and sections 3(1) and 3(2) of the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013.
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