Mumbai: A political row has erupted after the circulation of photographs showing Rupali Chakankar, chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women, with self-styled godman and astrologer Ashok Kharat, who has been arrested on charges of rape.
senior leaders across the political spectrum called for her resignation, as reported by NDtV.
Kharat, a retired merchant Navy officer, who projected himself as an astrologer, was arrested in the Nashik district on Wednesday for allegedly repeatedly raping a 35-year-old woman for over three years, the police said.
During investigation, the police found 58 videos, including some objectionable clips, stored on a pen drive. Kharat allegedy leveraged his influence and political-social connections to gain the trust of women, subsequently exploiting them under the guise of religious or spiritual rituals, officials claimed.
He has been charged under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections concerning rape and criminal intimidation, as well as under the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, they said.
It has also come to light that Kharat is the chairman of Shree Ishaneshwar Mahadev Temple Trust at Mirgaon in Sinnar taluka of Nashik district.
There are allegations that Rupali Chakankar, the women’s body chief, was associated with Kharat’s Trust. Yogesh Kadam, minister of state for home, said that 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.
It has been reported that many politicians and well-known individuals had visited the astrologer in the past.
The photographs that have surfaced allegedly show Rupali participating in religious rituals alongside Kharat. A video has also been released showing her holding up an umbrella for the astrologer.
Rupali has claimed that her association with Kharat was limited and that she had absolutely no knowledge of his alleged crimes.
She urged people not to draw conclusions based solely on content circulating on social media and allow to take its course.
Opposition leaders in the state are not convinced though. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut stated that it is an extremely grave matter for the head of an institution dedicated to delivering justice to women to have her name linked to such an accused individual.
Rupali no longer possesses any moral authority to continue as chairperson of the commission, another Uddhav Thackeray party leader Sushma Andhare, asserted.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Rupali Thombre also demanded her resignation. The women’s commission chief must be impartial and credible, qualities that appear to be compromised in this particular case, she claimed.
Senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar 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 Rupali should immediately step down from her post.