At least 10 FIRs, eight for alleged sexual assault or exploitation and two for cheating, have been registered against Kharat at Sarkarwada police station in Nashik, while the SIT has received more than 100 complaints over the phone against him
Investigators are also trying to trace Kharat's wife. Representational Pic
The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing the rape-accused self-styled godman Ashok Kharat, has detained his son from Nashik city for questioning and is also searching for his wife, police said, PTI reported.
At least 10 FIRs, eight for alleged sexual assault or exploitation and two for cheating, have been registered against Kharat at Sarkarwada police station in Nashik, while the SIT has received more than 100 complaints over the phone against him.
An SIT team reached Kharat's house in Karmayogi Nagar on Tuesday and detained his son, Harshvardhan, who was then taken to the Maharashtra Police Academy (MPA) for questioning, police sources said, the news agency reported.
Son detained after wife remains absconding
Investigators are also trying to trace Kharat's wife, Kalpana, but the SIT team failed to find her at the residence and detained their son instead, they added.
According to PTI, Kharat’s police custody will end on Wednesday, after which he will be produced in a local court.
Kharat’s wife among five accused in cheating case
Meanwhile, police in the neighbouring Ahilyanagar district on Tuesday registered a case against five persons, including Kharat’s wife, for cheating a landowner of more than Rs 4 crore, officials said.
Police in the temple town of Shirdi have arrested two accused in connection with the case. Kharat’s wife remains absconding, and efforts are ongoing to trace her, the official added.
“A landowner from Shirdi had taken an unsecured loan of Rs 5.52 crore from Kharat’s wife against four acres of land. He had repaid around Rs 1.5 crore, but Kharat allegedly tried to grab the land. The owner then lodged a complaint with the police, based on which a case was registered for fraud and under the Maharashtra Money Lending (Regulation) Act,” he said, the PTI reported.
The two arrested persons have been identified as Arvind Bawake and Kiran Sonawane, he added, noting that Kharat, his wife, and a middleman are all accused in the case.
(With PTI inputs)
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