Mumbai NCB Zonal Director Amir Ghaute has been booked in Navi Mumbai Police against two officers for abetting suicide on the complaint of the wife of construction company owner Gurunath Chachalkar. The accused have been accused of forcing Chachalkar to commit suicide by his wife Kiran Chachalkar. In April, Chachalkar committed suicide by shooting himself in his house, after which the wife declared it not suicide but murder and requested that a case be registered against NCB officers. On this, on March 25, a case was registered against NCP Zonal Director Amit Ghaute, Akash Malik, Sandeep Negre under other sections including abetting suicide, extortion, humiliation. Chichalkar committed suicide by shooting himself with his revolver on April 25, 2025.

His wife alleged that on February 2, the NCB team had searched the house and seized documents and a watch worth Rs 2 lakh. After that, they had threatened him several times and demanded Rs 10 to 15 crores and threatened to implicate him in the case otherwise. When NCB Zonal Director Amit Ghaute was questioned in this matter, he termed all the allegations baseless and said that the accused whom NCB has arrested so far in the drug syndicate case have not been granted bail. Along with this, allegations have also been made against the NCB’s investigation method, which is based on malice. He said that the investigation conducted by NCB in the drug case was in the right direction and due to this, progress has been made in the investigation in this case. Properties worth crores of rupees have also been seized in this case.

Pakistan has indicated that it is willing to mediate between the United States and Iran to ease the ongoing West Asia conflict, with Islamabad proposing a back-channel approach to convey messages between the two sides.

However, officials in India say that the effort may face serious challenges. They note that Pakistan is attempting to project itself as a peacemaker even as it remains engaged in tensions along its western front.

A key difficulty lies in balancing its ties with both Iran and Saudi Arabia. Iran regards both the US and Saudi Arabia as adversaries, while Pakistan maintains close strategic and military links with Riyadh. A bilateral security understanding between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia treats aggression against one as a concern for both.

Officials point to the growing mistrust in Iran towards Pakistan. Tehran is said to believe that Islamabad has used its goodwill in ways that indirectly benefit the United States. This perception appears to have been reinforced by a recent development at the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has allowed limited passage to vessels from select friendly nations, including Pakistan. As part of this move, around 10 Pakistani ships were permitted to transit the Strait of Hormuz. However, the coordinated movement of these vessels was seen as indirectly benefiting the United States.

Tehran, however, is understood to have viewed the episode differently, interpreting Pakistan’s role as an attempt to maintain favour with the US while leveraging Iranian concessions.

Another challenge for Pakistan lies in its ties with Saudi Arabia. Under their military understanding, Islamabad was expected to support Riyadh, which has faced attacks linked to Iran. Its decision to stay away has caused unease in Saudi circles, prompting the kingdom to explore defence cooperation with Ukraine. Kyiv is seen as a battle-tested partner, with years of conflict experience against Russia and operational expertise in countering Iranian-made Shahed drones.

Saudi Arabia had expected Pakistan to stand by it during this period of strain. However, Islamabad, a State that allegedly exports and breeds terror, chose to limit its role to diplomatic engagement. An official said Riyadh, which has long regarded Pakistan as a security partner, feels let down as it sees Islamabad focusing on mediation between the United States and Iran rather than supporting an ally.

Saudi Arabia has provided financial assistance to Pakistan on several occasions in the past, helping it through periods of economic strain. However, recent developments have led to growing disillusionment within the Saudi kingdom’s senior leadership.

Another official said Pakistan is currently not able to extend military assistance to Saudi Arabia. Its forces remain engaged in operations against the Afghan Taliban, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). The sustained pressure on the military has limited its ability to offer deployments or air support to Saudi Arabia.

With developments affecting its ties with both Saudi Arabia and Iran, Indian diplomats believe it may be difficult for Pakistan to broker a peace agreement. They point out that such negotiations depend heavily on trust, and any reservations from one of the parties could complicate efforts towards a settlement.

On Saudi Arabia, Pakistan has avoided taking a clear position, a stance that has reportedly displeased Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Iran, on the other hand, believes Islamabad has used its goodwill in ways that benefit the United States, which it regards as an adversary.

Observers say Pakistan’s approach appears driven less by mediation and more by an effort to project itself as a proponent of global peace while trying to extract maximum benefits out of both Iran and the US.

Nashik: Troubles continue to mount for self-styled astrologer Ashok Kharat as Nashik Police have registered two more criminal cases against him, including a fresh rape complaint, taking the total number of cases to 10.

According to police officials, eight of these cases relate to rape and sexual exploitation, while two involve allegations of cheating and financial fraud. The latest FIRs were registered by the Sarkarwada Police Station on Friday night,

Details On The Recent Complaints

In the most recent complaint, a married woman alleged that Kharat sexually assaulted her four times between August and December 2024. The complainant stated that she had visited Kharat’s office at Canada Corner in Nashik along with her husband. Following a pattern seen in earlier cases, Kharat allegedly asked her husband to wait outside before sedating and assaulting her inside his chamber.

Police said the woman approached authorities only after Kharat’s arrest on March 18, indicating that more victims may come forward as the investigation progresses.

In a separate case, a trader from Ahilyanagar district, Rajendra Nanasaheb Bhagwat (39), accused Kharat of cheating him of Rs 2.62 lakh over three years. Bhagwat told police that Kharat had advised him to wear gemstone rings to improve his business fortunes. However, after the accused’s arrest, the complainant discovered that the stones were fake and the rings were made of copper instead of gold. Bhagwat also alleged that he had given Kharat gold rings weighing over 20 grams.

Kharat, who built a reputation as a numerologist advising clients, including prominent individuals, on business and personal matters, is now under investigation for multiple serious offences, including rape, extortion, and cheating.

Meanwhile, the district administration has taken parallel action by suspending Kharat’s firearm licence. Ayush Prasad confirmed that a show-cause notice has been issued, asking why the licence should not be permanently cancelled.

Officials said the move followed the recovery of five used cartridges from Kharat’s farmhouse. Authorities are now probing whether the firearm was used in any незакон activities. Records show that the licence was first granted in 2014 and renewed as recently as 2024.

With multiple cases emerging and investigations intensifying, the Kharat case has taken a serious turn, raising concerns over alleged abuse of influence and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals under the guise of spiritual guidance.