Nashik (Maharashtra), Mar 24 A court in Nashik on Tuesday extended the police custody of self-styled godman Ashok Kharat, arrested in a rape case, till March 29.
A man tried to attack Kharat outside the court but the police stopped him in time and took him into custody.
Seeking further police remand for the accused godman who was arrested on March 18, public prosecutor Ajay Misar said new revelations about his illegal activities were surfacing every day.
It was even suspected that he could be involved in human sacrifice and hunting of deer for the skin and musk, among other things, the prosecution said.
The special investigation team (SIT) probing the case has recovered a revolver, 21 cartridges and five empty shells besides Rs 6 lakh in cash, two laptops and some documents from his possession, said the prosecution.
SIT officer, deputy Superintendent of Police Kirankumar Suryavanshi, also gave information about the probe to the court.
Making a statement before the court, Kharat denied that he was involved in any kind of black magic. As to media reports that he had a mechanised king cobra and a tiger which he used to terrorise people, he said he did not know anything about such things.
Though his lawyers opposed the police's plea, the court extended Kharat's police custody till March 29.
Activist Trupti Desai of Bhumata Brigade tried to charge at Kharat when he was brought to the court, but police stopped her.
A man in the crowd also tried to attack Kharat when the police left the courtroom, but he was stopped and detained. Some people in the crowd tried to attack the police vehicle taking Kharat out of the court premises.
As per the SIT, six criminal cases have been registered against Kharat so far, and the victims include a pregnant woman. The SIT has appealed people to share information about these cases or other activities of Kharat. It has also requested the media not to reveal the identity of the women victims.
Kharat, who heads a temple trust at Mirgaon in Sinnar tehsil of Nashik district and had several political leaders visit him over the years, was arrested after a 35-year-old woman accused him of repeated rape over a period of three years.
Subsequently, more cases were registered against him in connection with alleged sexual exploitation of a seven-month pregnant woman and another woman on the pretext of getting her remarried.
"The SIT has discovered 100 objectionable videos and assets worth around Rs 1,500 crore related to him. While the I-T department is investigating financial irregularities and property holdings of Kharat and people related to him, the cyber police are examining the videos," a senior police official said earlier in the day.
