Lalit Pophale, a 48-year-old financial consultant from Mumbai, has accused Ashok Kharat, a self-styled godman and arrested rape accused, of defrauding him of over ₹8.76 crore (approximately $1.05 million USD) over the last two years. Pophale, a former trustee of the Shivnik Sansthan trust in Nashik, claims Kharat convinced him that costly religious rituals were essential to prevent the deaths of his parents. Based on Pophale's complaint, the Sarkarwada Police Station in Nashik has filed a new FIR against Kharat under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including extortion and cheating. This marks the 17th FIR against Kharat in just one month, with allegations ranging from sexual exploitation to financial fraud. The Maharashtra government has established a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into multiple cases involving Kharat, particularly those related to sexual exploitation. Pophale reported transferring over ₹4.25 crore online to Kharat in 2023, believing it was necessary for rituals to avert his mother's death, and later an additional ₹2.53 crore for his father. He also claims to have paid for their stay at a luxury hotel in Thiruvananthapuram during these rituals, which he later described as deceptive.