<p>New Delhi: The <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=Supreme%20Court">Supreme Court</a> on Monday stayed the conviction of former Maharashtra minister and <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=NCP">NCP</a> MLA Manikrao Kokate in a cheating and forgery case, giving him relief from imminent disqualification as a lawmaker.</p><p>A vacation bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the Maharashtra government on Kokate's plea in the case related to a housing scheme for EWS with an annual income limit of Rs 30,000 dating back to 1989-1992.</p>.<p>After hearing his counsel, the bench said, "Issue notice. In the meanwhile, conviction of petitioner shall remain stayed to the extent that there shall be no disqualification as a member of legislative assembly. However, he shall not hold any office of profit." </p>.Hours after losing portfolio, NCP Minister Manikrao Kokate quits Maharashtra cabinet.<p> Kokate is an MLA from the Sinnar constituency in Nashik district.</p><p>His conviction and a two-year sentence by a magistrate in February this year were upheld by the Nashik sessions court on December 16, holding that he and his brother dishonestly induced the state government to allot them flats.</p><p>The Bombay High Court on December 19 suspended Kokate's two-year jail term in the cheating and forgery case. It granted him bail but refused to stay his conviction.</p><p>The high court said in the order that it cannot stay the conviction as there was prima facie evidence pointing to the NCP leader's involvement in the case in which he was accused of securing a flat in a government scheme meant for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) by submitting false affidavits.</p><p>Kokate was divested of his portfolios on December 17. </p><p>On December 18, he resigned from the Maharashtra cabinet. .</p>
<p>New Delhi: The <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=Supreme%20Court">Supreme Court</a> on Monday stayed the conviction of former Maharashtra minister and <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=NCP">NCP</a> MLA Manikrao Kokate in a cheating and forgery case, giving him relief from imminent disqualification as a lawmaker.</p><p>A vacation bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the Maharashtra government on Kokate's plea in the case related to a housing scheme for EWS with an annual income limit of Rs 30,000 dating back to 1989-1992.</p>.<p>After hearing his counsel, the bench said, "Issue notice. In the meanwhile, conviction of petitioner shall remain stayed to the extent that there shall be no disqualification as a member of legislative assembly. However, he shall not hold any office of profit." </p>.Hours after losing portfolio, NCP Minister Manikrao Kokate quits Maharashtra cabinet.<p> Kokate is an MLA from the Sinnar constituency in Nashik district.</p><p>His conviction and a two-year sentence by a magistrate in February this year were upheld by the Nashik sessions court on December 16, holding that he and his brother dishonestly induced the state government to allot them flats.</p><p>The Bombay High Court on December 19 suspended Kokate's two-year jail term in the cheating and forgery case. It granted him bail but refused to stay his conviction.</p><p>The high court said in the order that it cannot stay the conviction as there was prima facie evidence pointing to the NCP leader's involvement in the case in which he was accused of securing a flat in a government scheme meant for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) by submitting false affidavits.</p><p>Kokate was divested of his portfolios on December 17. </p><p>On December 18, he resigned from the Maharashtra cabinet. .</p>