The Enforcement Directorate on Monday (April 13, 2026) conducted searches at multiple premises in Maharashtra as part of a money laundering investigation against controversial self-styled godman Ashok Kharat and entities linked to him, officials said.
Five premises in Kharat's hometown, Nashik, and three each in Pune and Shirdi have been raided. Residential and commercial premises linked to Kharat, his chartered accountant (CA) Prakash Pophale, Kharat's relatives, and some branches of cooperative credit societies are being covered, they said.
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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) filed a criminal case against Kharat under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on April 6, taking cognisance of a Nashik police FIR filed against him on charges including extortion, religious manipulation and drug-facilitated assault on multiple women.
Officials in the federal agency said they are specifically looking to gather evidence to determine if Kharat and his associates laundered illicit funds for personal gains.
