Rupali Chakankar resigns as women's panel chief amid Kharat case row

NCP leader Rupali Chakankar resigned as Chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women. Sources suggest CM Devendra Fadnavis asked her to step down following the Nasik case involving Captain Ashok Kharat, though she cited personal reasons.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Rupali Chakankar on Friday resigned as Chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women. As per the sources, she stepped down after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asked her to do so following the Nasik case involving Captain Ashok Kharat.

Chakankar Tenders Resignation

In the resignation letter to CM Fadnavis, she expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister and colleagues for their trust and support while requesting that her resignation be accepted. Chakankar said that due to personal reasons, she is voluntarily submitting her resignation.

"I, Mrs. Rupali Nilesh Chakankar, would like to inform you with respect to the above subject that I was appointed as the Chairperson of the Maharashtra State Women's Commission on 15th October 2024. Due to my personal reasons, I am voluntarily submitting my resignation from the post of Chairperson through this letter," the letter reads.

"I am deeply grateful to you and all your colleagues for the trust you have shown in me and for your cooperation. I am confident that you will continue to provide such support in the future as well. However, I humbly request you to accept my resignation from the post of Chairperson, State Women's Commission," the letter reads.

She also met with Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, urging her to "take the appropriate decision".

Writing on X about her resignation, she wrote, "I submitted my resignation from the position of Chairperson of the Maharashtra State Women's Commission to the National President of the Nationalist Congress Party, our leader, and the Honorable Deputy Chief Minister of the state, respected Sunetra Tai. In light of the allegations currently being made through various media, I have decided to tender this resignation, accepting moral responsibility so that a fair and transparent investigation can take place. In this regard, respected Sunetra Tai will take the appropriate decision!"

Calls for High-Level Inquiry into Kharat Case

Earlier in the day, Chakankar said she met Police Director General Sadanand Date to hand over a letter urging a thorough and objective investigation into the Ashok Kharat women's atrocity case, calling for a high-level inquiry and necessary action against the accused.

In a post on X, Chakankar wrote, "Today, in Mumbai, we met Police Director General Sadanand Date and handed him a letter on behalf of the State Women's Commission." आज मुंबई येथे पोलीस महासंचालक सदानंद दाते यांची भेट घेत त्यांना राज्य महिला आयोगाच्या वतीने पत्र दिले.या पत्रात अशोक खरात महिला अत्याचार प्रकरणाचा सखोल व वस्तुनिष्ठ तपास व्हावा तसेच या प्रकरणाची उच्चस्तरीय चौकशी करत या प्रकरणातील सत्यता बाहेर यावी व आरोपीवर कारवाई होण्याकरता… pic.twitter.com/ogoLtBJFfE — Rupali Chakankar (@ChakankarSpeaks) March 20, 2026

"In this letter, we urged that a thorough and objective investigation be conducted into the Ashok Kharat women's atrocity case, and that a high-level inquiry be carried out so that the truth in this case comes to light and action is taken against the accused, requesting him to issue necessary directives at his level," the post reads.

Shiv Sena UBT Leader Reacts

Earlier on March 18, Shiv Sena UBT leader Sushma Andhare had called Chakankar as a "total liar", writing in a post on X that "Rupali Chakanakar is a liar number one. Captain Ashok Kharat is a man of such character that Rupali Chakanakar knows very well about him."

Expressing happiness over the Chakankar's resignation, Andhare had said that it was 'unfortunate' that Sunetra Pawar did not take up charge as the chief of the women's commission. She said, " If the Home Minister has issued the resignation order, it is welcome, but there is one regret: the same role was more expected to be taken by Sunetra Tai, the state's first woman Deputy Chief Minister and the president of this party, as the state's assertive leadership... Unfortunately, she missed this opportunity."(ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)