Pune court rejects interim anticipatory bail pleas of three in Chakankar social media case

A Pune district court on Monday rejected the interim anticipatory bail applications of three people: Sapna Raut, Milind Gore and Bhushan Patil. They are accused of posting obscene, derogatory and defamatory comments on social media against Rupali Chakankar, former chairperson of the Maharashtra State Commission for Women.

The case was registered by the Pune City Cyber Police on Chakankar's complaint. The FIR names 19 people in all. Chakankar alleges that misleading posts, photographs and videos linking her to Ashok Kharat of Nashik, who calls himself a baba, were spread online, and that objectionable comments were also made against her.

Chakankar's lawyer, Jayashree Palwe-Kale, called the court's decision a moral victory. According to her, the arguments in court rested on the dignity and reputation of women. Palwe-Kale said, "We put our arguments before the court firmly and said that nobody has the right to defame a woman or say derogatory things against her. A woman's dignity and character are very precious, and such comments cannot be justified."

According to the lawyer, the court took these arguments seriously and rejected the interim anticipatory bail applications of all three applicants. She said, "Going by the complaints Rupali Chakankar had made, she has got justice. It is also a setback for those who were telling the media that the case is false. The court's decision is a moral victory for Rupali Chakankar."

Palwe-Kale also told the media that a separate petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court. According to her, statements threatening to approach the Delhi High Court were also brought to the court's notice.

Those named in the Pune City Cyber Police FIR in connection with these posts include Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sushma Andhare, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Rupali Thombare-Patil and Congress leader Sangita Tiwari. There are others as well. The names of Sapna Raut and Milind Gore have also reportedly appeared in the complaint over allegedly objectionable comments.

The controversy began in March 2026. Nashik Police arrested Ashok Kharat that month in a rape case. Public attention then turned to him, and photographs and videos of Chakankar attending public events with Kharat began circulating on social media. Chakankar had earlier acknowledged that she knew Kharat, but had denied any involvement in his alleged wrongdoing.

According to the complaint filed in August, Chakankar had known Kharat for about nine years. They met at a social event, and she had attended religious programmes at a temple linked to him. She alleges that after reports of his arrest emerged in March, photographs and videos of her with Kharat were circulated with baseless and misleading claims.

Chakankar also alleges that several people posted objectionable material about her on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. According to her, these posts drew obscene, sexually objectionable, abusive and threatening comments, which caused her mental distress and damaged her reputation. She also handed screenshots and other material to the police in support of her complaint.

The accused had approached the court seeking anticipatory bail. Monday's order concerns the interim applications of three of them. Further legal proceedings and the investigation in the case are continuing.