Why Nashik Court Granted Pre-Arrest Bail to Kalpana Kharat Over Sinnar Land Dispute
A Nashik court granted anticipatory bail to Kalpana Kharat, wife of self-styled godman Ashok Kharat, in a cheating and black magic case involving a 2004 land deal. The judge ruled that the 22-year delay in filing the 2026 FIR was excessive and deemed the matter a civil property dispute given the misleading 'colour of a criminal case'.
A sessions court in Nashik, Maharashtra, has granted anticipatory bail to Kalpana Kharat, the wife of self-styled godman Ashok Kharat, in a case involving alleged cheating and black magic linked to a land deal. In passing the order on Tuesday, June 23, Additional Sessions Judge Kedar Joglekar stated that the matter is fundamentally a civil dispute that has been given the "colour of a criminal case" by the complainant.
The court highlighted an inordinate delay of over two decades in initiating criminal proceedings. According to judicial records, the initial agricultural land transaction took place in 2004, whereas the First Information Report (FIR) was registered only on April 7, 2026. Ashok Kharat, TCS Case and Shubham Khairnar: Why Nashik Is Dominating the Headlines.
Court Notes Lack of Active Participation by Accused
The prosecution's case, registered at the Sinnar Police Station, stemmed from a formal complaint lodged by an individual named Shivram Eknath Mali. The FIR stated that Mali and his family owned 16.5 acres of agricultural land in the Sinnar taluka which they had intended to sell. The complainant subsequently accused the Kharat couple of employing deceptive tactics and supernatural influence to facilitate the transaction. However, during the pre-arrest bail hearing, Judge Joglekar reviewed the evidence and noted that the material on record failed to establish Kalpana Kharat's direct involvement in the multi-decade-old negotiations.
The court observed: "Kalpana Kharat has never participated with any discussion of transaction, meeting, never visited the agricultural land in question, never made any representation, never induced or gave any threats to the present informant (complainant) or his brothers, nor made any false promise or any type of verbal or written communication to them." Ashok Kharat Viral Video Row, Amravati S*x Scandal: Epstein Files-Like Cases Rock Maharashtra.
Judicial Observations on Criminal vs Civil Litigation
The defence argued that the invocation of cheating and black magic laws was an afterthought designed to pressure the family over a long-settled property transfer. The sessions court agreed with this assessment, finding no prima facie grounds to warrant custodial interrogation. "Absolutely, this is nothing but a civil transaction to which the colour of criminal case is given," Judge Joglekar remarked while allowing the pre-arrest bail plea. With anticipatory bail secured for Kalpana Kharat, local police can continue their investigation into the primary execution of the 2004 land deal, though any coercive law enforcement actions against her remain restricted under the conditions set by the sessions court.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 24, 2026 04:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).