In a significant legal development, Nashik’s district and sessions court sentenced Maharashtra Agriculture Minister and NCP leader Manikrao Kokate to two years in prison over a 30-year-old cheating case. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on him for his involvement in using fraudulent means to acquire government quota flats. His brother, Sunil Kokate, was also convicted in the same case.
The case, which dates back to 1995, was initiated on the complaint of the late TS Dighole, a former minister. It involved accusations of submitting false documents to obtain two flats under a government scheme reserved for the economically disadvantaged. Assistant Public Prosecutor Poonam Ghotke stated, “After examining all the 10 witnesses, the court found the Kokate brothers guilty of claiming they had no flats of their own and were financially underprivileged, using forged documents to support their claims.”
The flats were acquired on College Road in Yeolakar Mala, Nashik, under the Chief Minister’s discretionary quota, which allocates 10% of flats to the Low-Income Group (LIG). The Kokate brothers misrepresented their property ownership and financial status to benefit from this scheme.
Despite the conviction, Minister Kokate has been granted bail and plans to challenge the court’s decision. Speaking to reporters outside the court, Kokate affirmed his intention to appeal, stating, “I have obtained bail in the case and will file an appeal against the order.”
This legal outcome not only affects Kokate’s political career but also marks a notable instance of accountability for long-standing allegations of corruption in government quota allocations. The Nashik court’s decision underscores the judiciary’s role in addressing and rectifying such abuses of power, even when the cases are decades old.
