Maharashtra minister orders review, cancellation of water sanction to Shivanika trust founded by rape-accused astrologer Ashok Kharat

NASHIK: Water resources minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil on Saturday ordered an immediate review and cancellation of a 2020 order granting bulk water to Shri Shivanika Sansthan, following the arrest of its founder, astrologer Ashok Kumar Kharat (67), in a rape case on Wednesday, based on a complaint by a 28-year-old woman, who alleged that he sexually assaulted her for three years from 2022 to 2025.Speaking to the media in Ahilyanagar, Vikhe Patil said a thorough inquiry had been initiated into the 2020 order that allocated water from the Darna project to the trust, which manages the Ishaneshwar Temple in Mirgaon, Sinnar taluka. He directed officials to revoke the water allocation without any delay. "The allocation was based on a June 25, 2020, cabinet sub-committee resolution, which cited the growing number of visitors and the lack of major water facilities in the drought-prone area," the official said.

The case has triggered a political debate over retired Merchant Navy officer-turned-astrologer Kharat's alleged connections and the influence he reportedly wielded. Vikhe Patil said Kharat enjoyed support from several senior officers and politicians, which aided the establishment of the Sansthan and the subsequent approval of its water grant.The minister credited the Shirdi police for exposing Kharat's alleged misdeeds, saying chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had issued a lookout circular to prevent Kharat from escaping.

Addressing photos circulating online that showed him with the accused, Vikhe Patil clarified that he had accompanied then-CM Eknath Shinde to the temple in his official capacity as guardian minister. "But I remained outside during the rituals," he said.Cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal has backed the decision to re-examine the water allocation, saying while water-related decisions were taken based on information available at the time, they must be reassessed when serious criminal allegations emerge. On the resignation of women's commission chairperson Rupali Chakankar, Bhujbal said, "As a Pune resident, she may not have been aware of Kharat's activities. Public figures should remain vigilant about the people they engage with, as they are closely observed by the public."