Convicted NCP minister Manikrao Kokate on Thursday resigned from Maharashtra Cabinet and tendered his resignation to Ajit Pawar after being found guilty in a housing scam by the Nashik local and district courts. Kokate's portfolios were on Thursday taken away on the recommendation of Chief Minister Fadnavis. In the meantime, Fadanvis has accepted the resignation of Manikrao Kokate and forwarded the same to Governor Acharya Devvrat for further action.
Here’s what Ajit Pawar said on Manikrao Kokate
Taking to X, Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar said Manikrao Kokate has submitted his resignation to him following the outcome of the court’s verdict. “In keeping with our party’s long-standing philosophy that the rule of law is supreme and above all individuals, the resignation has been accepted in principle. I have forwarded Kokate’s resignation to Maharashtra Chief Minister for due consideration and acceptance, in accordance with constitutional procedure. Our party has always believed that public life must be guided by constitutional morality, institutional integrity, and respect for the judiciary. We stand firmly by the rule of law and will continue to act in a manner that upholds democratic values and public trust,” he said.
Manikrao, his brother convicted in housing scam in 1995
It should be noted that Kokate and his brother, Vijay Kokate, were convicted in a case dating back to 1995, related to the alleged misuse of a 10 per cent quota meant for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) in a housing scheme. These two brothers were found guilty of offences including cheating and forgery.
A court in Nashik district on Tuesday upheld the two-year jail sentence awarded to NCP leader Manikrao Kokate in a cheating and forgery case dating back to 1995.
Here’s what Nashik court said on Manikrao
The Nashik court, while upholding the lower court order of February 20 this year, noted on Tuesday that Kokate had "dishonestly induced" the state government to allot him a flat meant for the economically weaker section of society. The court also noted that the minister was a "prosperous" farmer.
Asked about Kokate's status as MLA following the conviction, state assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar on Wednesday said he has not yet received a certified copy of the court order. On February 20 this year, a magistrate court convicted Kokate, a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, and his brother Vijay Kokate. The duo was sentenced to two years' imprisonment in the case, which pertained to submitting fake documents to get flats under the state government quota.
On their appeal, a sessions court had stayed their conviction on March 5. Nashik District and Sessions Court Judge PM Badar on Tuesday upheld the jail term handed to minister Kokate by the magistrate's court.
Know all about the case
The case pertains to the period between 1989 and 1992, when the state government introduced a housing scheme reserved for the needy, defined as persons with an annual income not exceeding Rs 30,000. The brothers were accused of submitting false affidavits declaring that their income was below this threshold. They were subsequently allotted flats in the Vise Mala area of Nashik in 1994.
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