Bank accounts, realty deals under SIT lens

Mumbai: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing self-styled godman Ashok Kharat has widened its investigation, turning the spotlight on his financial empire with a detailed scrutiny of bank accounts held by him, his family and close associates. Investigators have so far identified five bank accounts linked to Kharat across major lenders: State Bank of India, Union Bank of India, ICICI Bank, Saraswat Bank and Vishwas Cooperative Bank. These accounts hold deposits totalling Rs 40.87 crore...

min read

Bank accounts, realty deals under SIT lens

Mumbai: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing self-styled godman Ashok Kharat has widened its investigation, turning the spotlight on his financial empire with a detailed scrutiny of bank accounts held by him, his family and close associates. Investigators have so far identified five bank accounts linked to Kharat across major lenders: State Bank of India, Union Bank of India, ICICI Bank, Saraswat Bank and Vishwas Cooperative Bank. These accounts hold deposits totalling Rs 40.87 crore and are now under the scanner to trace sources, transaction trails and possible beneficiaries. Sleuths suspect that the accounts may reveal financial links to a web of property deals, investments and other transactions — both legitimate and dubious — and the SIT is now examining possible offences such as tax evasion and money laundering. Earlier this week, the SIT informed a Nashik court that raids carried out at Kharat’s office, farmhouse and other premises led to the seizure of Rs 6.53 lakh in cash, two laptops, multiple mobile phones, a DVR system, hidden cameras, and gold ornaments — 20 tolas from his wife and 12 tolas in his name. Simultaneously, Kharat’s chartered accountants, Prashant Palde and Kiran Kataria, told investigators that the accused had travelled extensively abroad in recent years, visiting countries including the United States, France, Australia, UAE, Peru, Malaysia, Indonesia and more. The SIT has also approached the Inspector General of Stamps, Pune, to help detect additional properties linked to Kharat and his network. Realty Investments So far, the investigators have uncovered a sprawling portfolio of realty investments comprising agriculture, commercial, bungalows, flats, etc., spread in Nashik, Pune, Ahilyanagar and even Raigad, standing in the names of Kharat or his family or certain business associates. They include: 33 acres of land and a farmhouse (Mirgaon); 10 acres of land (Pathardi village); 6 acres (Sinnar); 4.5 acres in own name and 5.5 acres (Shirdi and Kakadi); an 800-sq.ft flat and a bungalow in Karmayogi Nagar (Nashik); plots totalling 12 gunthas (around 12,000 feet in Ojhar); 6 gunthas (Adgaon, Nashik); 11 gunthas in daughter Shrusti’s name and a plot (Sangamner and Pune); a 180 sq.ft office at Canada Corner (Nashik); a marriage hall in partnership with others (Shirdi); 6 acres as a joint partner with five others (Sinnar). Public Prosecutor Ajay Missar told the court that the SIT is probing whether more undisclosed assets exist, while also examining if questionable transactions led to losses to the public exchequer. Authorities are coordinating with the Income Tax Department as part of the financial probe. One transaction under the radar involves a two-hectare agricultural plot in Mirgaon, donated to Kharat’s Shri Shivnika Sansthan Trust by a Mumbai-based devotee. The land was reportedly purchased in May 2019 for Rs 24 lakh and transferred to the trust almost immediately through a gift deed. However, the same gift deed document pegged the land’s market value at Rs 32 lakh — a shocking jump of Rs 8 lakh within hours — raising red flags over possible irregularities or manipulation in valuation, with likely connivance of officials. The Shri Ishaneshwar Temple on the land was constructed in 2009–2010, allegedly using public contributions, as claimed by several political leaders. Fear of ‘Elimination’ Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve has raised concerns, alleging that those exposed in the recovered videos could attempt to eliminate the godman — currently in police custody. Danve claimed that as more explicit material surfaces, individuals implicated in the videos may ‘join hands to silence him through an extra-judicial killing to prevent further revelations.’

How a West Indies Cricket Tour Inflates Indian Batsmen’s Egos

Waleed Hussain
Oct 12, 2025
3 min read

Oh, the glorious, ego-pampering spectacle of a West Indies cricket tour—a tropical carnival where India’s batsmen strut like rockstars while the Caribbean bowlers flounder like they’re auditioning for a slapstick tragedy. It’s not a cricket series; it’s a lavish spa day for India’s top order, who saunter to the crease knowing they’re about to feast on bowling so spineless it makes a jellyfish look like a bodybuilder. The West Indian attack? Less a bowling unit, more a charity event for India’s run-starved superstars to gorge themselves silly.

Let’s kick off with the so-called “pace” attack. The West Indies’ fast bowlers—bless their naive little hearts—charge in with the menace of a soggy napkin. Their “express” deliveries, which might generously be clocked at “leisurely jog,” get dispatched into the next island by Shubman Gill’s effortless cover drive, so casual it’s practically an insult. It’s not bowling; it’s a taxpayer-funded batting clinic. The ball swings for maybe half an over before it’s reduced to a sad, scuffed relic that’s seen more boundary rope than a sailor’s knot-tying manual. By the time the third seamer’s wheeled out, he’s already googling “how to retire early,” while Gill’s piling on runs like he’s collecting loyalty points at a buffet.

And the spinners? Sweet mercy, calling them spinners is like calling a tricycle a monster truck. These poor souls shuffle up, serving a smorgasbord of long-hops, full-tosses, and existential dread that India’s batsmen swat with the glee of kids at a piñata party. Every delivery is a personal affront, every boundary a public flogging. The “turn” is as mythical as a Caribbean snowstorm, and the flight path looks like a paper plane crashing in a windstorm. The bowler’s figures? A numerical catastrophe that could double as a cry for help. Meanwhile, the Indian top order, led by Gill’s boyish smirk, carves elegant shots while mentally planning their next yacht purchase—because why not multitask when the bowling’s this abysmal?

The fielders? Oh, they’re the sad trombone in this circus. Dropped catches are as Caribbean as a steel drum solo, with fielders converging like they’re starring in a low-budget comedy. A miscued lofted shot? No sweat, it’ll plop safely in the no-man’s-land of incompetence between three fielders who’d rather be auditioning for a nap. The scoreboard races faster than a con artist fleeing a scam, and India’s batsmen, smug as ever, watch their averages inflate like a politician’s promises. Why wouldn’t they? They’re not just scoring runs; they’re crafting legacies while the West Indies bowlers beg for a meteor strike to end their suffering.

The psychological massacre is almost too cruel to watch. India’s batsmen stare down bowlers like they’re personally responsible for every bad haircut in the Caribbean. Each boundary is a sneer, a “You call that a delivery?” The West Indian bowlers, reduced to trembling shells, aren’t aiming for wickets anymore—they’re just praying to survive an over without needing a support group. By day three, they’re scrolling LinkedIn for “jobs that don’t involve cricket,” while India’s top order debates whether to notch a double ton or call it quits at 150 to seem vaguely humane.

Let’s be clear: the West Indies try. They really do. It’s almost cute, like watching a goldfish challenge a shark to a duel. But against India’s batting juggernaut, it’s like tossing a paper plane into a hurricane. The Indian batsmen don’t just dominate; they obliterate, piling on runs with the smug entitlement of influencers at a free brunch. A West Indies tour isn’t a cricket match—it’s a coronation where India’s top order is crowned supreme, and the bowlers are left to sweep up the confetti with their shattered dreams.

In the end, the scorecards read like a war crime: triple centuries, double centuries, or at the very least, a breezy 180 before the lunch break. India’s batsmen swagger off, egos so bloated they could block out the sun, while the West Indian bowlers slink away, dreaming of a time when their team inspired fear instead of memes. For India’s top order, it’s not just a tour—it’s a love letter to their own brilliance, sealed with a six over midwicket.

(The writer is a senior journalist based in Mumbai. Views personal.)

1 Comment

MaryJane

Oct 29, 2025

The way you describe India’s dominance feels almost cinematic. It’s that same rush fans chase on platforms like Zuplay a leading casino and betting site where cricket passion meets real-time excitement. Lets users experience that same thrill through live sports action and dynamic gaming.

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