Nashik, March 31 The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is investigating self-proclaimed godman Ashok Kharat, who is accused of rape, detained his son from Nashik city on Tuesday for questioning, police said.
At least 10 FIRs have been registered against Kharat at the Sarkarwada police station in Nashik, eight for alleged sexual assault or exploitation, and two for cheating. The SIT has also received over 100 complaints against him via phone.
An SIT team reached Kharat's house in Karmayogi Nagar and detained his son, Harshvardhan. He was then taken to the Maharashtra Police Academy (MPA) for questioning, police sources said.
The investigators are trying to locate Kharat's wife, Kalpana. However, the SIT team was unable to find her at the residence and instead detained her son, they said.
Kharat's police custody will end on Wednesday, after which he will be produced in a local court.
Meanwhile, police in the neighbouring district of Ahilyanagar registered a case against five people, including Kharat's wife, for allegedly cheating a land owner of over Rs 4 crore, officials said.
Police in the temple town of Shirdi have arrested two accused in connection with this. However, Kharat's wife, Kalpana, is absconding, and an operation to locate her is underway, an official said.
"A land owner from Shirdi had borrowed 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 seize the land. The owner then filed a complaint with the police, which led to the registration of a case for fraud and under the Maharashtra Money Lending (Regulation) Act," he said.
The two arrested accused were identified as Arvind Bawake and Kiran Sonawane, he added, noting that Kharat, his wife, and a middleman are wanted in the case.