The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Mumbai Zonal Office is conducting searches today in the case of Ashok Kharat, known as a godman, and others in Nashik, Pune, and Shirdi under the Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002. The Search operations are being done based on an FIR dated the 6th of this month for extortion, fraud, and abuse, with allegations of misuse of bank accounts, land investments, and exploitation of victims.

Preliminary enquiries by the directorate revealed that Mr Ashok Kharat opened various bank accounts with two Cooperative Credit Societies based out of Nashik District in the names of different third parties but stood as Nominee to all those bank accounts. He annexed his mobile number for all these bogus accounts to exercise control over the operations of these bank accounts. He also sold common items as blessed items by claiming they possessed divine healing powers.