Andhare Alleges Chakankar Stayed With Kharat At Guwahati Hotel

A case that began with allegations against a self-styled godman has now entered Maharashtra’s political bloodstream.

For ordinary families, the uncomfortable question is simple. When fear, faith, money and power mix, who protects the vulnerable?

That is why the latest claims around Rupali Chakankar matter beyond party politics. Chakankar is a former chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women and a leader from the NCP’s women’s wing. Her name now sits inside a widening storm around Ashok Kharat, a suspect facing serious criminal cases.

Andhare sharpens the political attack

Sushma Andhare, deputy leader of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), has alleged that Chakankar stayed for three days at a Guwahati hotel with Ashok Kharat.

Andhare claimed Chakankar had earlier denied any connection with Kharat. She also asked whether Chakankar’s sister, Pratibha Chakankar, was present during that stay.

These are allegations, not court findings. Chakankar has not been convicted in this matter. Kharat also remains a suspect until the legal process reaches its conclusion.

Still, the political weight of the claim is clear. Chakankar once headed a state body meant to protect women. Kharat faces cases linked to alleged sexual assault, cheating and superstition-related exploitation.

That contrast gives the story its sting. In politics, perception often moves faster than paperwork.

Andhare has also said that Chakankar has been called for questioning by the Enforcement Directorate over alleged financial irregularities. The ED has not been quoted here as giving full details of the case.

For a public figure, even a summons can become a political event. It raises questions about money trails, personal associations and institutional credibility.

Why the Kharat case alarms families

The allegations against Ashok Kharat are disturbing because they sit in a familiar Indian pattern.

Police records, as cited in the case details, say Kharat is accused of using claims of divine power, fear of the future and ritual practices to exploit women. That is not just a crime story. It is a warning about how blind trust can become a trap.

Many families in India still turn to faith healers, astrologers or spiritual middlemen during crisis. A medical scare, a marriage problem, a court case or debt can make people desperate.

That desperation creates a market. Some exploit it for money. Some, police allege, exploit it for much worse.

The special investigation team has filed charge sheets in the first two cases. Those charge sheets run into more than 2,000 pages and include statements from 105 witnesses.

That volume matters. It shows investigators are not treating this as a small local complaint. They are building a larger case, with documents, witness accounts, electronic material and other evidence.

The police have said they may file supplementary charge sheets as more statements and evidence come in. In plain English, the case is still growing.

SIT tracks multiple offences

The Maharashtra Police set up a special investigation team after orders from the state police chief.

From March 20, 2026, the SIT has been probing 11 cases linked to Kharat. The team includes senior officers and 24 police personnel.

The wider record against Kharat is even larger. Cases have been registered across Nashik and Ahilyanagar districts. Some are with Nashik city police, some with Nashik rural police, some with Ahilyanagar, and one with Thane police.

Among the cases now with the SIT, eight involve allegations of sexual assault. Others involve cheating, the anti-superstition law, moneylending rules and related offences.

That mix is important. It suggests the case may not be about one kind of abuse alone. It appears to involve alleged emotional control, financial dealings and criminal intimidation.

Investigators have also acted against online material linked to the case. More than 13,000 objectionable video links were removed, and 451 social media accounts were permanently shut.

That tells us another story. Once such material enters the internet, victims suffer twice. First through the alleged crime, then through public circulation and humiliation.

For women who come forward in such cases, that fear can be crushing. Families worry about police stations, courts, neighbourhood gossip and online abuse. That is why swift removal of harmful content matters.

Political fallout meets public trust

The political fight now centres on Chakankar’s alleged link with Kharat.

Andhare’s question is direct. If Chakankar had no connection with him, why does Andhare claim they stayed at the same Guwahati hotel for three days?

That allegation needs documentary proof and official scrutiny. Hotel records, travel details, payment trails and phone data can answer more than press conferences can.

This is where the business angle quietly enters the frame. Financial irregularity claims are rarely only about one transaction. They can involve payments, assets, benami arrangements, loans, gifts or favours.

If the ED is examining money movement, the key issue will be simple. Did any unlawful money change hands, and did any public figure benefit from it?

For citizens, this is not abstract. Women’s commissions, police teams and enforcement agencies exist because ordinary people cannot fight power alone.

When a former women’s commission chief gets linked, even by allegation, to a man facing sexual assault cases, public trust takes a hit.

That does not mean guilt. It means the investigation must move cleanly, transparently and without political theatre replacing evidence.

Maharashtra has seen many such storms before. A criminal case starts in one district. Then party leaders join the fight. Soon, the original victims disappear behind accusations and counter-accusations.

That must not happen here. The centre of the case should remain the complainants, the evidence and the courts.

The next few weeks will test three things. Whether investigators can prove the charges against Kharat. Whether Andhare’s allegations against Chakankar stand up to records. And whether political parties can avoid turning a serious exploitation case into only a daily shouting match.

For ordinary readers, the lesson is both old and urgent. Faith cannot replace law. Power cannot replace accountability. And when vulnerable people say they were exploited, the system’s first duty is to listen carefully, then prove the truth in court.