India, May 12 -- A special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on Monday issued a production warrant against Nashik-based self-styled godman Ashok Kharat after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sought his arrest in an alleged extortion and money laundering case involving transactions of over Rs.70 crore.

Special judge RB Rote directed the superintendent of Nashik Road Central Jail to produce Kharat before the court on May 18 in connection with an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) registered by ED against him.

The ED had told the court that Kharat and his associates were "prima facie involved in a series of grave and organised criminal activities involving sophisticated extortion carried out through a combin...