A devotee-turned-informer in the high-profile Nashik godman case has blown the lid on Ashok Kharat’s sex offenses and how he saved the lives of many women who were allegedly duped by the 67-year-old godman.
Kharat is currently in police custody in a rape and black magic case. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is probing the allegations against him in a high-profile case that has created ripples in Maharashtra state politics. The SIT collects evidence and records witness statements. Even outside the police investigation, political leaders and social activists have leveled allegations against Kharat for his alleged links with top politicians and bureaucrats in the state.
Jaywant Miske*, exclusively to The Hindu, says he was an ardent follower of the self-proclaimed godman until a few years ago. He would serve him diligently, take care of his daily chores and worship him, says the soft-voiced man.
This submissive relationship continued until Kharat, he claims, allegedly sexually assaulted his then heavily pregnant wife several years ago. Initial distrust of his wife gave way to denial, but he accepted the challenge to keep the false godman under surveillance. Mr Miske said he installed a hidden CCTV camera in Kharat’s office and recorded several videos of the fraudster’s offence. Mr. Miske says he worked in one of Kharat’s offices for several years before quitting after obtaining the tapes.
A follower recently turned informer when he provided the Nashik police with a detailed account of the arrested fraudster’s deeds. CCTV footage is key evidence in police investigations.
Mr. Miske says he did a “godly job” of going to the whistleblower on the matter. “Hindu worshipers were cheated. I saved thousands of Hindu women and girls. If I had not blown the lid off this exploitation ring, all the followers would have still worshiped him as God. He would have destroyed many more families, many women,” he says, alleging that Kharat has been involved in this extortion since 1998.
Describing the ordeal his wife faced during pregnancy, which changed his view of the divine man, Mr. Miske says, “Baba (as he called Kharat) told me that an auspicious puja should be performed in the seventh month of pregnancy. He asked me to call my wife to the office. When she came, we both went to his cabin. After some time he came out pale and he said a word to me and went home. After a while he sent me home. At night she told me that she baba is a terrible person and that he did bad things to her.”
After that, Mr. Miske began to see Kharat in a different light, talking to his client base and trying to understand in detail his property deals and financial holdings. He claims he secretly installed a CCTV camera in Kharat’s cabin, which recorded more than 100 cases of sexual offenses within a month. Mr Miske says 156 videos have been made. Police did not put a number on the seized videos, but said there were more than 100.
Okas properties in Kannada corner in Nashik city is where the accused used to run his exploitation ring. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
Speaking about his reaction after discovering the contents of the tapes, he says he was overcome with rage. “I wanted to kill him. I was upset. My friends were checking on me. They told me to be sensible,” he adds.
“I trusted him as much as my own parents. He was like God to me. I thought our lives would change when I came into contact with him. But he damaged me. I am physically and emotionally destroyed,” he says, asking the reporter to protect his identity in public.
Thanks to this saga, Mr Miske says he has lost over 14kg over the past two years. The frail-looking man says he failed to read the early signs of Kharat’s wrongdoing. While Kharat registered an extortion complaint against him, he denied involvement in it.
While registering a complaint against the godfather, Mr. Miske says he feared for his life. Even today, when he goes to the SIT, he carefully asks the cops if Kharat will come out of jail free. “Think of someone who has cheated so many high-ranking people. He was in direct contact with ministers, officers and businessmen. What will it take for him to get someone like me killed? When the SIT asks me questions, I ask them if he will be able to leave that jail. I fear for my life. But he had to do this (revelation),” he says, adding that he has been given police protection.
Police say Mr. Miske’s complaint and testimony form an important part of the case. “While Kharat is a villain, Jaywant Miske is a hero who put his life on the line to become a complainant,” said a police officer on condition of anonymity. Due to social stigma and fear, many complainants have not come forward to testify, the police officer said, adding that the whistleblower’s courage will help police reach out to other victims.
*(name has been changed to protect his identity)
Published – 04 Apr 2026 18:26 IST
