Fake Godman Ashok Kharat Under Scanner for ₹62 Crore Transactions Through 132 Bogus Bank Accounts
Police probing self-styled godman Ashok Kharat have uncovered 132 fake bank accounts opened using devotees’ PAN and Aadhaar details. Investigators suspect the accounts were used to convert black money into white through massive transactions.
April 3, 2026 | Ahilyanagar: The investigation into self-styled godman Ashok Kharat has taken a shocking financial turn, with police uncovering what appears to be a large-scale operation aimed at converting black money into legitimate funds. Officials probing the case have found that Kharat allegedly opened as many as 132 bogus bank accounts in cooperative credit societies across Ahilyanagar and Nashik by misusing the PAN and Aadhaar cards of his close devotees.
Sources in the investigation said that each of these accounts listed Ashok Kharat himself as the nominee, while his mobile number was linked to the accounts. This ensured that every transaction alert and banking message was delivered directly to him, raising strong suspicion that he was operating all the accounts personally. Police believe the accounts were strategically created to channel cash-based earnings into formal banking transactions. Investigators have reportedly traced financial activity worth nearly ₹62 crore through one cooperative credit society located on the ‘Samata’ road in Ahilyanagar, including its branch in Shirdi. It is suspected that the money movement was part of a calculated attempt to “whitewash” unaccounted cash.
The probe has also reportedly revealed transactions of nearly ₹2.5 crore in a Nashik-based credit society and around ₹60 crore in the Ahilyanagar institution, indicating a structured network spanning multiple districts. In another politically sensitive development, sources claimed that Kharat’s name has surfaced as a nominee in a bank account linked to the sister of former Maharashtra State Women’s Commission chairperson Rupali Chakankar. The alleged connection has further intensified scrutiny, though officials have not yet confirmed the nature of the link.
Investigators said many individuals in whose names the accounts were opened were reportedly unaware of their existence. Police have now begun tracing the origin of funds, identifying beneficiaries, and examining whether financial institutions failed to follow mandatory KYC norms. With new revelations emerging daily, authorities are expected to widen the investigation into possible money laundering, fraud, and misuse of identity documents, while also examining the role of intermediaries who may have assisted in opening the accounts.
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