Rupali Chakankar, former chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women and a leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), was summoned and questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Mumbai regarding her alleged connections to Ashok Kharat, a self-styled godman arrested for serious offenses including rape, extortion, and money laundering. Chakankar arrived at the ED office at around 10:30 AM on Thursday to provide her statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The investigation focuses on her role as a trustee of Shivnika Sansthan, a temple trust in Nashik led by Kharat.

The ED's probe, initiated on April 6, has led to the freezing of approximately ₹2.4 crore in bank funds, the seizure of ₹42 lakh in suspected unaccounted cash, and the recovery of around 90 property documents valued in crores. Additionally, over ₹1 crore in cash and gold and silver jewelry was confiscated from a bank locker associated with Kharat and his wife. Kharat allegedly controlled numerous bank accounts, allowing him to manage significant funds, with transactions scrutinized by the ED. The agency is also investigating the financial activities of Chakankar's sister, who was previously questioned regarding accounts linked to Kharat.