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Shirdi police quiz Prathiba Chakankar in Kharat’s fake bank accounts case
Prathiba is the sister of senior NCP leader Rupali Chakankar, who recently resigned as chairperson of the state women’s commission
The Shirdi police on Monday questioned Prathiba Chakankar and her son over four accounts in a cooperative bank in Rahata tehsil allegedly operated by arrested self-styled godman Ashok Kharat.
Prathiba is the sister of senior NCP leader Rupali Chakankar, who recently resigned as chairperson of the state women’s commission following her links with Kharat.
Additional SP of Ahilyanagar, Somnath Waghchaure, said that the mother and son visited the police station to record their statements.
Police are probing more than 100 bank accounts in the district linked to Kharat. Though the accounts are in different names, Kharat is listed as the nominee in all of them and is suspected to have operated them.
Sources said the four accounts in the names of Prathiba and her son saw transactions totalling around ₹1.20 crore over the past few years.
“Prathiba claimed she was unaware of the existence of these accounts and that neither she nor her son operated them,” a police official said.
Police said the probe will continue to ascertain whether the two were aware of the accounts.
Meanwhile, the SIT on Monday produced Kharat before a local court in Nashik, which remanded him to 14 days’ judicial custody in a case related to the alleged sexual abuse of his former office staff’s wife.
“The SIT will soon arrest Kharat in another sexual abuse case involving a woman,” assistant public prosecutor Shailendra Bagade said.
