Mumbai: A tenth-fail tantrik-cum-astrologer of Nashik has stirred up a political storm in Maharashtra. Ashok Kharat (61), who allegedly had sex with several women after promising them relief from their personal problems, is in the eye of the storm. He reportedly did not even spare pregnant women.
Political Links and Blackmail
What enabled him to continue with his sex racket was his close links with several politicians cutting across party lines and a controversial inspector-general of police. The social media is awash with videos of him having sex with a slew of women in his office. Apparently he videographed his perverse acts on the CCTV camera installed in his office. He allegedly used these videos to blackmail his victims and have more sex with them.
These videos would not have entered the public domain but for a disgruntled assistant who reportedly demanded a ransom of Rs 5 cr, but the tantrik was apparently willing to give only Rs 1 crore. When the videos started making their way to the social media, the brother of one of the victims gave her courage to file an FIR and then other women followed suit.
Political Fallout
The controversy has already cost the strikingly good-looking Rupali Chakankar (43) her post as the chairperson of the state women's commission. Now there is a demand that she should be step down as president of the women's unit of the NCP (Ajit Pawar). The opposition is even demanding that she be made a co-accused with Kharat, but she is insisting that she did not have the faintest clue about his sexual escapades. Noted activist Vijay Kumbhar of Pune said Chakankar could have come to the rescue of the victimised women, but she did not.
Jitendra Awhad of the NCP (Sharad Pawar) claimed that over 30 MLAs were in touch with Kharat who made the allegedly bogus claim of being a captain in the merchant navy before turning to tantrik practices. This includes a very senior politician of the ruling alliance. Kharat is also accused of dispensing a potion for increasing the sexual prowess of men.
CM Fadnavis Acts
According to reports, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis was tipped off about this mega scam a couple of months ago and he decided to tread cautiously since several politicians were in close touch with Kharat, including a leader of the Shiv Sena (Shinde) which is a coalition partner. But realising that the issue will have serious political repercussions if not proceeded against, the CM, who is charge of the home portfolio, decided to act swiftly. He instructed the police to arrest Kharat if there was a legal basis. The Nashik police promptly moved in and arrested Kharat despite his protests. Fadnavis followed this up by appointing a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under Tejaswini Satpute, who has the reputation of being a no-nonsense IPS officer.
Activist Dr Avisha Kulkarni observed that ``Maharashtra is known as a land of saints like Dyaneshwar, Tukaram and social reformers like Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Jyotiba Phune etc. It is really tragic that in such a state people believed in black magic and fell victims to Kharat's sex racket."
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