Mumbai, May 5: Prabhat Chakanakar, sister of former Maharashtra State Women’s Commission chairperson and NCP leader Rupali Chakanakar, appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday. This action is part of the investigation into a money laundering case linked to self-styled guru Ashok Kharat.
According to sources, she was interrogated for nearly eight hours following a summons issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The ED has also summoned her son, Tanmay Chakanakar, in connection with the case.
Investigators revealed that the agency has identified four bank accounts associated with the Chakanakars—two in Prabhat’s name and two in Tanmay’s name. These accounts are held at the Samata Nagari Sahakari Pat Sanstha in Nashik. This case is part of a larger network involving over 134 ‘fake’ or proxy accounts allegedly used by Ashok Kharat to transfer funds through the cooperative banking system.
The accounts reportedly listed Kharat as a nominee, and his mobile number was used for opening and operating these accounts. Prabhat Chakanakar has two accounts under her name: a regular savings account and a special savings account. The special savings account, established in 2021, functioned similarly to a fixed deposit, allowing withdrawals along with interest after a specified period.
Reports indicate that approximately ₹2.6 million was deposited into her account in 2021, which was later transferred to the special savings account. After maturity in 2024, this amount, along with interest, was withdrawn, with total transactions exceeding ₹4 million.
During the interrogation, the ED presented documents related to transactions exceeding ₹4 million. Prabhat Chakanakar denied any involvement, stating she had no knowledge of these accounts and did not open or operate them. She claimed that she and her son had provided Ashok Kharat with their Aadhaar and PAN card details during a religious trip about two years ago, which may have been misused to create fake accounts.
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