Maharashtra minister Manikrao Kokate stares at disqualification after court convicts him in cheating case

Mumbai: In what comes as the second major embarrassment to the BJP-led Maha Yuti dispensation in Maharashtra, state Agriculture Minister and NCP leader Manikrao Kokate was convicted in cheating case and sentenced to two years imprisonment posing a threat to the Nashik leader of losing his membership in the Legislative Assembly.

The conviction by the Nashik District and Sessions court relates to a 30-year-old case involving alleged tampering of documents for illegal acquisition of two flats under the chief minister’s discretionary quota.

However, Kokate has secured bail in the case.

This development comes as a major challenge for Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who heads the tri-party coalition of BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

Kokate (67), a five-term MLA from Sinnar in Nashik district, is considered close to Pawar, the Deputy Chief Minister, who is the NCP President.

Kokate is the second minister to face the music after state Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Minister and Parli MLA Dhananjay Munde (49), who also is close to Pawar. Munde’s close aide Walmik Karad has been arrested in an extortion case linked to murder of Santosh Deshmukh, a three-time Sarpanch from the Massajog village.

On Thursday, the Nashik District and Sessions court convicted Kokate and his brother Vijay Kokate in the case registered in 1997 on the complaint of former minister, late T S Dighole.

The case was registered by the Sarkarwada police station of Nashik.

“When they got the flats they had claimed they had no flats of their own and their financial condition was bad, they had given fake documents,” said Poonam Ghotke, Assistant Public Prosecutor.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 each on the duo.

Kokate may attract disqualification as an MLA if he does not get any relief from the Bombay High Court.

According to Kokate,  Dighole had filed the case as he was his political opponent. 

"I have decided to file an appeal against the verdict. We will do everything in accordance with the law. We will go to the high court. I have been granted bail by the sessions court," he said.

The Kokate brothers were allotted two flats meant for the Low Income Group (LIG) on College Road in Yeolekar Mala area here under the chief minister's 10 per cent discretionary quota.

After the development, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi has mounted an offensive against the government.