(Photo credit: Anjali Damania/X) A combination of photos shows activist Anjali Damania (left) and Nashik ‘godman’ Ashok Kharat
MUMBAI: Activist Anjali Damania has alleged that a senior police officer from Nashik had attended a programme where self-styled godman and accused in sexual assault cases, Ashok Kharat, was present, claiming that there are 18 calls linked to him.She demanded a departmental vigilance inquiry against the police officer.
Kharat, currently in police custody, is being investigated in multiple cases, including sexual assaults and cheating. The Enforcement Directorate is investigating an alleged money laundering angle and has raided entities linked to the accused.In a post on X on Monday, Damania shared a video and photograph of Nashik Range Inspector General of Police Dattatray Karale and questioned his presence at an event where Kharat was also present.“Dattatray Karale is an IG-level police officer, then why did he attend the programme of such a person and even deliver a speech? When common people see this, why would they not believe him? There should be a departmental vigilance inquiry against him as well. There are as many as 18 calls linked to him, and the Director General of Police, Sadanand Date, should seek answers,” she said.Karale didn’t respond to calls and messages despite repeated attempts.
Meanwhile, when asked about the scandal involving Kharat, Congress leader Praniti Shinde raised the possibility of an “encounter”.“I feel he (Kharat) may be killed in an encounter, as many names are going to come forward during the investigation. Some of them could be part of the current ruling dispensation in Maharashtra, including state ministers,” she said, adding that the government’s stance was contradictory to its claims of supporting women.Reacting to the controversy, Maharashtra Revenue Minister and BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule urged restraint and asked those making allegations to cooperate with the probe.He said some people were levelling random allegations in a sensitive matter where an investigation was already underway.“Instead of making statements such as ‘encounter’ to gain media attention, they should submit any information to the Special Investigation Team set up by the state government,” he said, adding that public representatives should act responsibly.In another post on Monday, Damania accused Pratibha Chakankar, sister of former state women’s commission chairperson Rupali Chakankar, of making false claims regarding alleged fake accounts and signatures, asserting that KYC-verified accounts could not be fake.Citing “call data records”, she claimed 236 calls and 218 messages were exchanged over nearly a year, and questioned how such interactions could be termed fabricated.She also referred to alleged communication involving Pratibha Chakankar’s son, raising further questions about the authenticity of the denial.Police on Monday questioned Pratibha Chakankar in connection with the alleged use of her bank account by Kharat. There are accounts in the name of Pratibha and her son in Samata Credit Cooperative Society, and she was questioned to get details of these, the police said.
