Nashik: A sessions court in Nashik on Monday suspended the two-year prison sentence handed to Maharashtra agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate and his brother Vijay Kokate. The Kokate brothers were found guilty by a magistrate court of acquiring a government-quota flat using fake documents.
The suspension of the sentence will remain in effect until a decision is made on the agriculture minister’s appeal against the conviction. Additionally, Kokate has filed a separate appeal seeking a stay on the conviction, with the court expected to rule on it on Tuesday, according to his lawyers. The court also granted bail to both brothers on a surety of Rs 1 lakh each.
Details Of The Case
The case dates back to 1995 when Manikrao Kokate and his brother allegedly secured flats under the government quota in Nashik by submitting forged documents that misrepresented their income. The complaint was initially filed by Shiv Sena leader Tukaram Dighole, who was the MLA of Sinnar and a minister in the BJP-Shiv Sena government at the time. Despite the lengthy legal process spanning nearly 30 years, the Nashik district court finally delivered its verdict last Thursday, sentencing the Kokate brothers to two years in prison and imposing a fine of Rs 50,000 each.
Kokate’s conviction put him at risk of disqualification under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which states that public representatives sentenced to two or more years in prison cannot continue in office. Although the sessions court has now suspended his sentence, the threat of disqualification remains as the conviction itself has not been stayed.
The minister’s lawyer told reporters that arguments for staying the sentence were presented on Monday. The government prosecutor is expected to make his arguments on Tuesday, following which the court will pass an order, reported Hindustan Times.
Since the magistrate court’s ruling, the Mahayuti government has faced criticism, with opposition leaders demanding Kokate’s immediate disqualification as an MLA. They pointed to the example of Congress MLA Sunil Kedar, who was disqualified within 24 hours of his conviction by a Nagpur court, emphasizing the need for swift action in Kokate’s case as well.
