Maharashtra women's panel chief Chakankar quits over links with rape-accused godman

According to sources, she met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis earlier in the evening, and he asked her to resign.

In a major development following the arrest of celebrity astrologer ‘Captain’ Ashok Kharat in a case of sexual assault and making objectionable videos of women, Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) chairperson Rupali Chakankar tendered her resignation on Friday night.

Chakankar, who is also president of the NCP women’s wing, had come under fire over her alleged connection with Kharat after videos surfaced showing her with the self‑styled godman, in which she was heard praising him.

Earlier in the day, amid mounting attacks from the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, NGOs and activists, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had reportedly asked Chakankar to step down.

Dubbing Kharat ‘Bhondu Baba’, ‘Asaram Bapu’ and even ‘Jeffrey Epstein’, several organisations, including the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti, demanded strict action against the accused.