‘Your husband will die’: How Nashik astrologer used fear to rape woman

NASHIK: A retired Merchant Navy serviceman who worked arsenic an astrologer was remanded successful constabulary custody till March 24 by a Nashik tribunal connected Thursday, a time aft his apprehension for allegedly repeatedly raping a pistillate implicit much than 3 years.The accused, Ashok Kumar Kharat (67), popularly known arsenic “captain”, was arrested by the Nashik metropolis constabulary connected Wednesday pursuing a ailment by a pistillate who accused him of sexually assaulting her betwixt 2022 and December 2025. He was taken into custody from his residence aboriginal successful the greeting and aboriginal produced earlier a court, which sent him to constabulary custody.A lawsuit has been registered astatine Sarkarwada constabulary presumption nether sections 64 (punishment for rape) and 74 (assault oregon transgression unit with intent to outrage a woman’s modesty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, on with provisions of the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and different Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013.

The probe is being handled by the transgression branch.Police said Kharat, who is besides the president of Shree Ishaneshwar Mahadev Temple Trust astatine Mirgaon successful Sinnar taluka, allegedly exploited the complainant implicit respective years. “The pistillate had archetypal visited him successful 2019 with a comparative seeking guidance connected uncovering a suitable matrimony partner, but owed to the Covid-19 pandemic, she could not travel up for immoderate time. In 2022, aft she recovered a matrimony prospect, she approached him again.

The astrologer gave her a pendant and instructed her ne'er to region it. She, however, took it disconnected portion appearing for an exam, and wrong a week, her matrimony connection fell through. With her religion successful the astrologer deepening, helium convinced her that helium had ‘divine powers’ and forced her into performing rituals. He past allegedly raped her for the archetypal clip by giving her a concoction that caused numbness, aboriginal threatening that she would ne'er get joined if she resisted,” the ailment stated.Police added that adjacent aft the pistillate got married, Kharat allegedly continued to manipulate her. “This continued till Dec 2025,” officials said, citing the complaint, adding that helium threatened her that her hubby would dice if she did not comply with his intersexual demands.Investigators said they recovered immoderate documents, a pistol and cartridges from his location successful Mirgaon. Police besides said 58 videos, including immoderate objectionable clips, stored connected a pen thrust person been recovered from Kharat, arsenic reported by quality bureau PTI.The authorities authorities has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case. The SIT is headed by Tejaswi Satpute, commandant of the State Reserve Police Force, Pune, who visited Nashik and interrogated the accused for implicit 2 hours connected Thursday. In an bid signed by Special IG Manoj Kumar Sharma, the manager wide of police’s bureau directed the SIT to behaviour the probe and taxable regular advancement reports.

Satpute had besides headed an SIT successful a abstracted lawsuit involving the alleged termination of a doc successful Satara’s Phaltan past year.A Nashik constabulary serviceman said the probe is being carried retired by the transgression subdivision nether the supervision of the SIT, with each applicable accusation being shared with the team. Police person besides searched the accused’s residence successful Nashik metropolis and his farmhouse successful Sinnar arsenic portion of the investigation.Minister of authorities for location Yogesh Kadam assured strict enactment and urged much victims to travel forward.

“I entreaty to each women who whitethorn person complaints against the ‘astrologer’ to travel forward. We volition supply them extortion and guarantee stringent enactment against the accused. The substance should not beryllium politicised. All measures volition beryllium taken to guarantee women's safety,” helium said. He added that authorities would besides analyse whether the accused was promoting superstition oregon engaging successful amerciable practices.

“We request to ascertain whether helium was offering astrological services oregon spreading superstition.

If immoderate wrongdoing is found, that volition besides beryllium investigated,” Kadam said.The lawsuit has besides triggered a governmental row. Shiv Sena (UBT) person Sushma Andhare alleged that respective individuals successful the authorities had links with the accused, specifically raising concerns astir his relation with Maharashtra State Commission for Women chairperson Rupali Chakankar. Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee main Harshvardhan Sapkal said Chakankar should person “resigned”.Former MP Sambhaji Raje Chhatrapati besides demanded action, saying, “This is simply a highly delicate issue, and I americium amazed that Chakankar has not submitted her resignation yet. CM Devendra Fadnavis should instrumentality strict enactment against her and, if necessary, region her from the post.”Chakankar, however, denied immoderate cognition of the accused’s idiosyncratic beingness oregon the allegations. “Whatever allegations person been made volition beryllium investigated impartially by the police. I person afloat religion successful the investigation,” she said successful a societal media post. Efforts to interaction her for further remark remained unanswered till the clip of going to press.(With PTI inputs)