PUNE/NASHIK, March 20 -- For over two decades since he retired from the merchant navy, Ashok Kharat, 67, cultivated an aura that charmed the wealthy and powerful such as politicians, realtors and businessmen, which strengthened his equity and helped build a sprawling asset base, now under scrutiny. Kharat tested waters with a modest practice of astrology in the late 1990s, which gradually expanded into a high-profile consultancy that investigating officers of Nashik police say, operated on exclusivity, access and steep fees. Kharat - who often referred to himself as "Captain", citing his past association with the merchant navy - is fluent in English, Hindi and Marathi, and blended astrology with numerology and religious rituals, a combination that appealed to clients seeking both prediction and reassurance, particularly in pivotal situations such as elections, business deals and personal crises. A Nashik-based politician said he was much sought after in the run-up to polls. One such instance, recounted by a politician close to a Nashik-based senior leader, underlines both Kharat's influence and the risks of such dependence. "He predicted a comfortable victory for the leader. Convinced by this, the politician did not spend aggressively during the campaign ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. But he lost by a wide margin," he said. When Hindustan Times contacted the leader from Nashik, he acknowledged his meetings with Kharat, dismissing him as "a fraud". While Kharat catered to ordinary visitors, his core business revolved around affluent clients who often sought private consultations at their homes or offices. A senior Nashik police officer said, "His fees varied sharply. Wealthy clients who wanted him to visit their premises or conduct elaborate rituals, were charged as much as Rs.50 lakh." These high-value interactions, often conducted discreetly, helped Kharat build both wealth and a reputation of exclusivity. That wealth -- estimated to be over Rs.100 crore -- is now under the spotlight. He is invested in land parcels and residential properties. So far, properties in Adgaon, Sinnar, Pathardi and Ozar in Nashik district, as well as in Shirdi in Ahilyanagar, have been identified. Police suspect there could be more holdings elsewhere in the state. Following his arrest on Wednesday, after a complaint by a 27-year-old woman who alleged she was repeatedly raped by Kharat, he initially remained tight-lipped during questioning but later shared partial details about his assets, police said, adding that a comprehensive valuation was underway. The case has triggered wider allegations, including claims of sexual exploitation, prompting the state to constitute an SIT. "Along with the Nashik case, the SIT will also probe two other cases registered in Shirdi police station this year and another at Wavi police station in rural Nashik last year," he said. Even as the investigation widens, Kharat's family has rejected the allegations about his wealth and professional activities. His wife, Kalpana, claimed that astrology was merely his hobby. "My husband was not a professional astrologer. Some close associates back-stabbed him and tried to tarnish his image," she said....