Self-styled 'godman' and numerologist Ashok Kharat has been arrested in Nashik on charges of sexual assault and black magic, setting off a political storm. How did he manage to operate undetected for so long?
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing allegations against astrologer Ashok Kharat has questioned a temple priest and watchman, while further investigations reveal potential property fraud and misuse of water resources.
A family in Thane, Maharashtra, was allegedly defrauded of over Rs 1.66 crore by a man who exploited their fear of black magic, promising divine remedies through rituals and pilgrimages.
The Bombay High Court has criticised the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) for failing to process the exit permit of a US national facing religious conversion charges, despite a court order allowing him to travel.
A court in Maharashtra's Nashik district on Thursday remanded self-styled godman Ashok Kharat to seven-day police custody in a second rape case where he is accused of sexually exploiting a woman on multiple occasions since 2020 under the guise of religious rituals.
A Pune-based businessman has accused self-styled godman Ashok Kharat of defrauding him of Rs 6 crore (600,000) under the guise of helping him establish a logistics business abroad. This is the eighth case registered against Kharat, who is already in police custody on separate charges.
The Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other evil and Aghori practices Act, which faced immense opposition for over seven years, was passed in the Maharashtra State Vidhan Sabha (lower house) on Friday.
A new complaint was on Wednesday filed at the suburban Borivali police station in Mumbai against 'godwoman' Radhe Maa alleging her involvement in promoting superstition.
It said the Congress will infuse new blood in leadership roles without creating new fault lines and cementing its ideological moorings.
Reason must triumph over blind faith, says Praful Bidwai in this tribute to murdered rationalist Narendra Dabholkar.
Though the list of superstitious beliefs is long, often dissolving distinctions of class, caste, religion and education, Karnataka's anti-superstition bill is seen as a big step ahead.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances