Nisar Ahmed KhanMumbai, March 25 -- A self-styled godman who called himself "Captain" built a multi-crore empire and an aura of divine authority in Maharashtra. Now, allegations of serial sexual exploitation, blackmail and occult practices have brought that world crashing down, leading to his arrest, a widening criminal investigation and the resignation of a senior state official. What began as a local case in Nashik has quickly evolved into a broader test of how the Maharashtra government responds to the abuse of faith, influence and power.
At the centre of the storm is Ashok Kharat, a self-proclaimed astrologer and numerologist who projected himself as a spiritual problem-solver. Operating from Nashik and surrounding regions, he cultivat...