Ashok Kharat, popularly referred to as “Captain Kharat”, is a former Indian merchant navy officer from Nashik, Maharashtra, who later reinvented himself as a self-styled numerologist, astrologer, and spiritual guide. He gained nationwide attention in March 2026 following his arrest on charges of sexual assault, which triggered a significant political controversy in Maharashtra.

Personal Information

Detail	Information
Birth Name	Laxman Eknath Kharat
Known As	Ashok Kharat / Captain Kharat
Age	67 (as of 2026)
Native Place	Kahandalwadi village, Sinnar tehsil, Nashik district, Maharashtra
Community	Dalit community
Languages Known	Marathi, Hindi, English; claimed proficiency in approximately 15 languages
Date of Birth	Not publicly disclosed
Marital Status	Not publicly disclosed

Early Life and Background

Ashok Kharat was born as Laxman Eknath Kharat in Kahandalwadi village, located in the Sinnar tehsil of Nashik district, Maharashtra. He attended a secondary school in Vawi (Vavi), Sinnar. After 1995, he legally changed his name via a gazette notification, first adopting the name “Ashok Kumar”.

His original name change was reportedly motivated by numerological reasoning. Media reports in 2026 revealed that Kharat had failed his Class 10 (SSC) board examination, scoring approximately 35.86% — with marks of 39 in Marathi, 37 in English, 28 in Mathematics, 62 in Science, 38 in Social Studies, and 47 in Hindi.

Merchant Navy Career

Kharat served as an officer in the Indian merchant navy for approximately 22 years. According to his own claims and the website of the Shivnika Trust, he completed voyages to 154 countries during his naval career. His extensive international exposure reportedly made him fluent in multiple languages and gave him knowledge of diverse religious customs and traditions across the world.

His naval background earned him the informal title “Captain,” by which he became widely known in Maharashtra. However, details about his exact designation, the specific naval companies he served with, or the nature of his certifications remain not publicly verified.

Post-Retirement Activities

After retiring from the merchant navy, Kharat returned to his native Nashik region and began presenting himself as a numerologist, cosmologist, and astrologer. He used his communication skills, language proficiency, and claimed knowledge of global cultures to attract a clientele that included businesspeople, politicians, and celebrities.

Kharat founded the Shri Shivnika Sansthan, a religious trust that manages the Ishanyeshwar Mahadev temple at Mirgaon, Sinnar, Nashik. He served as president and chairman of this trust. He also maintained a city office in Nashik from which he reportedly received clients for consultations.

Financial Profile

Police investigations initiated in 2026 revealed that Kharat reportedly accumulated assets estimated at approximately ₹200 crore over a 15-year period. He allegedly charged wealthy clients up to ₹50 lakh per consultation visit. Investigators linked him to multiple properties, including land holdings, bungalows, and a farmhouse.

In 2018, the Maharashtra government’s tourism and cultural affairs department, under the regional tourism development scheme, sanctioned ₹1.05 crore for development works at his Shri Ishanyeshwar Devasthan temple in Sinnar. Of this, ₹25 lakh was released in the 2017–18 fiscal year.

Political Connections

Kharat gained access to Maharashtra’s political elite over the years. In November 2022, then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the Mirgaon temple associated with Kharat. Following the visit, a state minister clarified that Shinde had gone to the site in connection with a cowshed construction project and a donation, not as a devotee.

Rupali Chakankar, the Chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women and the women’s wing chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction), was seen in photographs and videos alongside Kharat that circulated on social media — including one in which she appeared to wash his feet. Multiple sitting ministers and political figures from across parties were also reported to have sought his counsel.

Arrest and Legal Case

On March 18, 2026, Nashik Crime Branch arrested Ashok Kharat following a First Information Report (FIR) lodged by a 35-year-old woman at Sarkarwada Police Station, Nashik. The complainant alleged that Kharat gained her trust by claiming divine powers and then sexually assaulted her after administering intoxicating substances, with the abuse allegedly continuing from 2022 to December 2025.

At the time of arrest, investigators recovered 58 obscene videos featuring women on a pendrive found in Kharat’s possession. His police custody was extended by 5 days on March 24, 2026, after he was produced in court. The Maharashtra government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by senior IPS officer Tejaswi Satpute to probe the case.

Political Fallout

The case triggered a significant political crisis in Maharashtra. Rupali Chakankar resigned from the Maharashtra State Commission for Women on March 20, 2026, following the circulation of photographs and videos showing her association with Kharat. Her resignation came after she was reportedly asked to step down by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The case also prompted protests by women’s rights groups, including the Gulabo Gang, which staged demonstrations in Pune demanding accountability. The matter was debated in the Maharashtra State Assembly during the 2026 Budget Session.

Shri Shivnika Sansthan Trust

The Shri Shivnika Sansthan manages the Ishanyeshwar Mahadev temple located at Mirgaon, near Sinnar, Nashik. The temple was developed with a combination of private donations and government grants. Former Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reportedly donated funds toward the construction of a cowshed on the temple premises.

The trust positioned itself as a religious and charitable institution, and Kharat served as its president. Following his arrest, the trust and its activities came under law enforcement scrutiny as part of the ongoing SIT investigation.

Ashok Kharat’s case is currently under active SIT investigation as of April 2026. All allegations mentioned in this article are based on FIRs, police statements, and official proceedings. Kharat has not been convicted by any court as of the time of writing. All parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty under Indian law.