ED quizzes NCP politician Rupali Chakankar for 8 hours over Kharat links

Mumbai: ED questioned NCP politician Rupali Chakankar on Thursday in a money laundering probe linked to Nashik-based astrologer and rape accused Ashok Kharat. She was at the ED office for around eight hours to record her statement.The agency also questioned Tanmay Chakankar, son of Rupali’s sister Pratibha Chakankar, on Thursday. Earlier, it had recorded Pratibha’s statement.Rupali, who quit as Maharashtra State Commission for Women’s chairperson following Kharat’s arrest, was one of the trustees of Shivnika Trust founded by him. ED investigated the Chakankar family’s financial connection to Kharat and his trust.It is also investigating four accounts that were opened in Pratibha and Tanmay’s names in a credit society, which were allegedly controlled by Kharat.In the case against Kharat, ED has investigated a chain of transactions related to a total cash deposit of Rs 50 lakh in two savings accounts of Pratibha and Tanmay. It said the sum was transferred to two other fixed deposit accounts, and was then prematurely withdrawn and sent back to the original savings accounts, along with an interest of Rs 1 lakh on each deposit. Finally, the money was allegedly withdrawn, ED claimed.

It has been alleged that although the accounts were in Pratibha and Tanmay’s names, Kharat controlled them.