New Delhi: A retired merchant navy officer has been taken into custody for allegedly raping a woman for more than three years. The accused, a proclaimed astrologer also had several political leaders visit him over the years, the police said on Thursday.
Sharing details, the police said that a total of 58 videos have been recovered from the accused Ashok Kumar Kharat. Among the videos which have been recovered included some objectionable clips. The clips were stored inside a pen drive. The accused used to call himself ‘captain’.
FIR filed in the case
Kharat, a chairman of Shree Ishaneshwar Mahadev Temple Trust in Nashik district, allegedly sexually assaulted the 35-year-old woman between November 2022 and December 2025. An FIR has been filed in the case.
As per the police, Kharat used to call the woman to his office located in the Canada Corner area in Nashik. While calling her, he allegedly claimed that his predictions pointed to “threats” to her husband’s life.
How did the accused committed the crime?
After the victim used to reach her office, the accused used to offer her sedative-laced drinks and rape her, news agency PTI reported. The accused also allegedly threatened the victim with dire consequences if she opened up, including harming the life of her husband, the police said.
The case has been filed under the various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, related to rape and criminal intimidation, as well as the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, officials said.
The police further said while 58 videos were stored in the pen drive, few are objectionable. Many other videos in the pen drive featured his connections and interactions with politicians and other prominent clients.