The Supreme Court on Monday granted a major relief to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Manikrao Kokate in a cheating and forgery case. The top court has stayed his conviction in the case. The court also stayed his disqualification from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
The Supreme Court heard an appeal challenging the Bombay High Court’s order, which had refused to grant a stay on Kokate’s conviction in a 1995 fraud case.
Besides, a vacation bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued a notice to the Maharashtra government on Kokate's plea.
"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,” the bench said.
Kokate’s conviction in 1995 housing scam
Notably, Manikrao Kokate and his brother, Vijay Kokate, were convicted in a 1995 case involving the alleged misuse of a housing scheme reserved for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS). The case pertained to the improper availing of a 10 per cent quota, and both brothers were held guilty of charges such as cheating and forgery.
On Tuesday, a court in Maharashtra’s Nashik district reaffirmed the conviction and upheld the two-year prison sentence awarded to NCP leader Manikrao Kokate in connection with the decades-old case.
Kokate’s resignation from Maharashtra Cabinet
Kokate on Thursday resigned from Maharashtra Cabinet after a Nashik court found him guilty in the housing scam. He submitted his resignation to party chief Ajit Pawar. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis accepted his resignation and forwarded the same to Governor Acharya Devvrat for further action.
ALSO READ: Convicted NCP minister Manikrao Kokate resigns from Maharashtra Cabinet, says Ajit Pawar
