Temple Trust To PMLA Probe: ED Complaint Says Temple Trust Link Led Chakankar Family To Follow Bhondu Baba Before Alleged KYC Misuse

Mumbai, August 6, 2026: The Enforcement Directorate's (ED) prosecution complaint in the money laundering case against self-styled godman Ashok Kharat paints a picture of the Chakankar family's association with him through statements recorded from Tanmay Chakankar, nephew of NCP leader and former Maharashtra State Commission for Women chairperson Rupali Chakankar, and his mother, Pratibha Ganesh Chakankar. While Tanmay described how he came to follow Kharat after meeting him in 2022, his mother alleged that KYC documents collected from her under the pretext of arranging pilgrimage bookings were later misused to open and operate bank accounts in their names without their knowledge.

Temple Trust Connection

In his statement recorded under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Tanmay stated that he first encountered Kharat during Mahashivratri in 2022 while accompanying his mother to the Ishaneshwar Temple at Mirgaon.

According to the prosecution complaint, Tanmay told investigators that his aunt, NCP leader and former Maharashtra State Commission for Women chairperson Rupali Chakankar, was a trustee of Shri Shivnika Sansthan, which manages the temple. He, however, said he had no knowledge of the circumstances in which she became a trustee, the role she played in the trust's affairs or whether she derived any personal benefit from the position.

Tanmay stated that his aunt's association with the temple trust was the reason his family developed faith in Kharat, following which he became Kharat's devotee. Several other members of his family subsequently also began following the self-styled godman.

According to the ED, Tanmay also stated that he donated Rs 1 lakh by cheque to Shri Shivnika Sansthan in 2023 to sponsor an Annadan programme held on the occasion of Guru Purnima in honour of Kharat.

He further said that Ashok Kharat's daughter, Shrushti Kharat, had stayed at his Pune residence for about a month while pursuing her studies before shifting to a paying guest accommodation. According to the complaint, he last met Kharat at the wedding of his daughter, Triptabala Kharat, in January 2026.

Alleged KYC Misuse

The complaint also records the statement of Pratibha Chakankar, who alleged that Kharat obtained her Know Your Customer (KYC) documents under the pretext of facilitating pilgrimage bookings and later misused them to open bogus savings and special savings bank accounts in her name and in the name of her son, Tanmay, with Samta Nagari Sahakari Patsanstha Ltd.'s Rahata branch without their knowledge or consent.

In her statement recorded under Section 50 of the PMLA, Pratibha told the ED that she first learnt of the alleged bogus accounts on April 13 after she was summoned to Shirdi Police Station during the investigation. She said the account-opening forms shown to her bore forged signatures.

While acknowledging that the Aadhaar card attached to the documents belonged to her, she maintained that neither she nor her son had visited the cooperative credit society or authorised the opening of any account.

According to the prosecution complaint, both Pratibha and Tanmay maintained that the bank accounts in their names were opened and operated without their knowledge using forged KYC documents and signatures, alleging that Kharat was responsible for operating them.

ED Investigation

The ED said investigators confronted Pratibha and Tanmay with bank statements showing cash deposits, creation of fixed deposits, premature encashment of FDs and withdrawals of around Rs 26 lakh through accounts maintained in their names.

Both denied operating the accounts and said they could not explain the transactions. They alleged that the accounts were linked to and operated through a mobile number allegedly used by Kharat.

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Rupali Chakankar's statement, however, does not form part of the prosecution complaint filed by the ED. According to an official familiar with the investigation, it is expected to be included in a supplementary prosecution complaint at a later stage.

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