Demands Growing for Chakankar’s Resignation, Arrested Godman Found to be Owning over Rs 100 Crores Properties
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Mar 20: The demand for the resignation of the Maharashtra State Women’s Commission chairperson Rupali Chakankar has reached its crescendo with the leaders of almost all the political parties are supporting the move after Videos of her washing the feet and holding an umbrella for the self-styled Godman and five-star astrologer Ashok Kharat arrested on rape charges.
Accusing fingers have also been raised against the Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, when as the chief minister in 2022, he had visited the Godman and also reportedly sought his advice astrologically in running the state administration. Many politicians and well-known individuals had visited the astrologer in the past.
Demanding Ms Chakankar’s resignation, who is also a trustee of Kharat’s Shivanika Sansthan Trust, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut remarked, “Maharashtra’s Epstein file has been opened,” and questioned her position: “The job of the chairperson of women’s commission is to raise her voice against atrocities on women and ensure action against the accused. If she is seen washing the feet of the accused, how can she continue in the position?”
NCP leader Rupali Thombare Patil has also called for a fair probe, alleging that “the courage of this fraudulent baba grew because of such support. Without backing, no criminal would act so boldly.” Another Uddhav Thackeray party leader, Sushma Andhare, asserted that Chakankar no longer possesses any moral authority to continue as chairperson of the commission. She questioned how women could possibly expect to receive justice in such a scenario.
Senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar also adopted a strong stance on this issue. He remarked that it is deeply concerning when the name of the very person entrusted with safeguarding women’s rights becomes linked to an individual facing such grave allegations. He demanded that the government conduct an impartial inquiry into the entire matter and asserted that moral responsibility dictates that Chakankar should immediately step down from her post.
Rohini Khadse, the Women’s Wing President of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction), also raised questions regarding this issue, emphasising that the credibility of the Women’s Commission must remain paramount. She argued that if controversies of this nature surround the chairperson herself, it tarnishes the institution’s image and pressed for her resignation.
Former MP Chhatrapati Sambhajiraje stressed that transparency and ethics are indispensable in public life. Prominent social activist Anjali Damania asked how the Chairperson of the Women’s Commission could maintain close ties with Ashok Kharat, an individual facing rape allegations. Referring to an allegedly viral video, she questioned, “Why maintain such a relationship and publicly accord such respect to an accused individual?”
On reports that Ms Chakankar was associated with Kharat’s trust, Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam said the matter would be examined separately if required. “These are two different aspects. The sexual exploitation case is under investigation and will be probed thoroughly. If there is any illegality in her role as a trustee, that too will be examined,” he said on Wednesday.
Amid a raging controversy, Rupali Chakankar issued a clarification, stating that her association with Ashok Kharat was limited and that she had absolutely no knowledge of his alleged crimes. She appealed to the public not to draw conclusions based solely on content circulating on social media and urged that the law be allowed to take its own course. “I have no knowledge about Kharat’s personal life or the allegations made against him. As far as the accusations are concerned, the police will investigate them. I have full faith in the investigation,” she has said.
A retired Merchant Navy officer, who projected himself as an astrologer, the 67-year old Ashok Kharat was arrested from his farmhouse in Nashik on Wednesday for allegedly repeatedly raping a 35-year-old woman for over three years, police said. As the investigation deepened, cops found 58 videos, including some objectionable clips, stored on a pen drive. According to investigative agencies, Kharat leveraged his influence and political-social connections to gain the trust of women, subsequently exploiting them under the guise of religious or spiritual rituals.
Arrest of Kharat, popularly known as ‘Captain’ for his background in merchant navy, has pulled back the curtain on a sprawling ₹100-crore empire built on faith, fear, and political patronage. After allegations of sexual exploitation emerged, Kharat’s rise from a modest astrology practice in the late 1990s to a consultant charging up to ₹50 lakh per visit is now at the heart of a comprehensive probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT).
After 22 years in the merchant navy, upon returning to his native village of Kahandalwadi in Sinnar tehsil of Maharashtra, Ashok Kharat began using his communication skills to establish a niche for himself. He has wide exposure due to his work as a sailor, and is fluent in English, Hindi, and Marathi. Sinnar-based social workers said Kharat would approach residents, asking for their dates of birth and full names to offer numerological advice.
His naval background provided an aura that set him apart from traditional priests, eventually evolving into a high-profile consultancy that operated on exclusivity and steep fees. As his reputation grew, so did his fees. While Kharat continued to cater to usual visitors, his business model also shifted towards the elite.
A senior Nashik police officer spoke about the scale of the operation: “We have learnt that his fees varied sharply. Wealthy clients who wanted him to visit their premises or conduct elaborate rituals, were charged as much as ₹ 50 lakh.” Wealthy clients, including politicians, realtors, and businessmen, sought private consultations at their own offices or homes to maintain discretion.
This exclusivity helped him cultivate an image of a much-sought-after adviser whose predictions were pivotal moments like elections or business deals. Investigators are now estimating Kharat’s wealth to be in excess of ₹100 crore. Following his arrest on Wednesday, Kharat initially remained tight-lipped but later shared partial details of a sprawling real estate portfolio.
His identified investments include land parcels and residential properties across Adgaon, Sinnar, Pathardi, and Ozar in Nashik district, as well as significant holdings in Shirdi. Authorities suspect further holdings exist elsewhere in Maharashtra, and a comprehensive valuation is currently underway.
The empire began to crumble when Nashik police arrested Kharat following a complaint by a 27-year-old woman. She has alleged that she approached Kharat for help with marital issues in 2022, only to be repeatedly sexually exploited until 2025. According to the FIR, Kharat allegedly used fear tactics, claiming his “predictions” showed a threat to her husband’s life, and used sedative-laced drinks to facilitate the assaults.
He has been booked under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) for rape and the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act. Police have recovered 58 videos from a pen drive, some of which are described as objectionable. One video purportedly shows Kharat performing a ritual with a copper vessel on a woman’s head followed by inappropriate conduct.
Kharat’s wife, Kalpana, maintains his innocence, claiming “My husband was not a professional astrologer. Some close associates backstabbed him and tried to tarnish his image.”
