Mumbai, March 21 -- The political uproar in Maharashtra over the arrest of self-styled godman Ashok Kharat on charges of rape claimed its first casualty on Friday, as Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) chairperson Rupali Chakankar resigned from her post after meeting chief minister Devendra Fadanvis in the evening. "I handed over my resignation to Sunetra vahini (deputy CM Sunetra Pawar).to facilitate impartial and transparent probe into the allegations that are being made. I have resigned owing to moral responsibility," she said in a late night post on X. It was not known whether Pawar had forwarded it to CM Fadnavis though she was in favour of Chakankar quitting. Chakankar, a member of the Shivanika Sansthan Trust headed by Kharat and under relentless attack from the opposition over videos on social media showing her washing his feet and praising him, may also step down as chief of the state women's wing of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), NCP sources told Hindustan Times. The 43-year-old Chakankar was summoned by the chief minister to his official residence, Varsha, and asked to resign as MSCW chairperson, insiders in the government confirmed. Fadnavis issued the directive hours after NCP working president Praful Patel indicated that Chakankar would face action and a decision on the matter could be taken within a day or two. The development came on a day when the special investigation team (SIT) probing the case seized more objectionable videos featuring Kharat from his personal assistant Neeraj Jadhav, who was arrested. Adding to the political heat, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut alleged that Kharat was the spiritual leader of nine ministers in the Fadnavis government, without naming anyone. Under pressure, the state government on Thursday constituted an SIT led by senior IPS officer Tejaswi Satpute to investigate the case. With the SIT seizing more objectionable videos from his personal assistant on Friday, the total number of seized videos has gone up to 100, police officials said. As several photos and videos on social media showed Chakankar with the accused godman, washing his feet and comparing him to god, calls for her resignation grew louder even as she called for a fair probe. On Friday too, before being summoned by the CM, she met Sadanand Date, Director General of Police (DG), Maharashtra and asked for a thorough probe into the matter. "Considering the influence of the accused, it must be ensured that the SIT is free from any political or external pressure, so the probe can be conducted impartially." she wrote in her letter to the DG. "If the accused has used the videos for blackmail, he must be charged under the provisions of the IT Act and strict action should be taken." NCP insiders said most top leaders in the party except one were of the view that she should step down as the MSCW chairperson as the allegations had brought significant damage to the party's image. "Even NCP president Sunetra Pawar was of the view that she should resign to avoid further damage to the party's image," a senior NCP leader said. "Chakankar was duly informed about the views of the party leadership." Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut alleged that Kharat was the spiritual leader of nine ministers from the Devendra Fadnavis government, who used to visit him regularly and perform objectionable acts under his guidance. "This is superstition," Raut asserted. He also alleged that during Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar's tenure as school education minister under the previous Mahayuti government, transfers in the department were carried out on the recommendations of the accused godman. "All the transfers used to be carried out on the recommendation of Kharat Baba when Kesarkar used to be the minister of the department. For that, Baba would often stay at the Hotel Trident, Nariman Point," the Rajya Sabha MP alleged. Kesarkar could not be reached for comment, as his phone was switched off. He also did not respond to a text message seeking his response....