ED: Godman Used Followers' KYC for Fake Accounts

Ashok Kharat collected followers' KYC documents under the pretext of booking pilgrimage trips and used them to open dozens of bogus bank accounts without their knowledge.

The ED alleges Kharat used the accounts to launder an estimated Rs 42.88 crore, including 60 bogus accounts at Samata Nagari Sahakari Patsanstha and 34 at Jagdamba Mata Gramin Bigarsheti Sahakari Patsanstha.

Kharat sold ordinary tamarind seeds (purchased at Rs 100 per kg) to devotees for Rs 10,000 to Rs 1 lakh by claiming they were spiritually energised and could cure illnesses or remove misfortune.

He allegedly projected himself as an incarnation of Lord Shiva, used sedative-laced prasad to sexually assault female devotees, and instilled fear of black magic to extract money.

A former office assistant told the ED that Kharat fixed product prices based on each devotee's financial capacity, not the product's value, and used plastic snakes and tiger figures to fake divine manifestations.