Maharashtra | State Women's Commission Chairperson Rupali Chakankar Resigns Following Ashok Kharat Row

Mumbai: Following mounting pressure in the row involving Ashok Kharat, Rupali Chakankar, the Chairperson of the State Women's Commission, Maharashtra, tendered her resignation on Friday.

Kharat is an accused in an alleged rape case in Nashik. She submitted her resignation by writing a letter addressed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra State Women's Commission has formally requested the Maharashtra Director General of Police, Sadanand Date, via a letter, to appoint a 'Special Investigation Team' (SIT) to probe this matter.

Chakankar had made this demand in her letter addressed to the DGP. Later on Friday evening, she visited Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar and formally handed over her resignation.

Allegations are being levelled against Chakankar regarding her purported connections with Kharat. According to sources, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had instructed Chakankar on Friday evening to step down from her post.

In her letter addressed to the DGP, Chakankar noted that Ashok Kharat stands accused of repeatedly subjecting a 35-year-old woman from Nashik to sexual assault over a period of three years.

Maharashtra Minister of State for Home Pankaj Bhoyar (Rural) told reporters, "It is being reported that several individuals are involved in this case. The full sequence of events will not come to light until a thorough investigation is conducted. Consequently, the ultimate truth will emerge only after a comprehensive inquiry."

"There are allegations that decisions favouring the 'fake godman' Ashok Kharat were taken during the tenure of Uddhav Thackeray as Maharashtra Chief Minister. We have not yet received specific information regarding this matter. However, if such incidents did indeed occur, they will be investigated. Furthermore, appropriate action will be taken against all guilty parties involved," added Bhoyar.

Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar termed Chakankar as a small fish. In a post on X, he said, "Rupali Chakankar, the chairperson of the most ineffective women's commission in the state, has resigned, but she has not lost her dignity while resigning! She has mentioned in the letter that she is resigning voluntarily for personal reasons! That means they don't feel any regret or mistake for the pressure they put on women and journalists in the Ashok Kharat case, and the efforts they made to prevent a police complaint in this case."

"Chakankar's behaviour, while resigning, as if it were a favour, is condemnable. Rupali Chakankar is a small fish. How many other ministers were there? Who gave royal protection to this rapist father and tried to save him? Action should be taken against all of them. An investigation should also be conducted into which leaders and ministers called to suppress this matter, and action should be taken," the senior Congress leader said.