Scandal Snags Maharashtra’s New Regime: Agriculture Minister gets 2-Year Jail Sentence
The 30-year-old document tampering and fraud case is related to illegal acquisition of two flats
Shaking the political corridors, Manikrao Kokate, Maharashtra's Agriculture Minister and a prominent NCP leader, was on Thursday sentenced to two-years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50,000 in a 1995 case. As per the prosecution, the minister and his brother Vijay Kokate exploited by falsifying his financial status, and got allotted two flats meant fo the low income group - under the Chief Minister’s discretionary quota.
To qualify, applicants must submit affidavits proving they own no other property and belong to the low-income group. The prosecution, led by Assistant Public Prosecutor Poonam Ghotke, presented evidence that the Kokates misrepresented their financial status and property ownership. Court records revealed that Manikrao Kokate, who was the chairman of the Sinnar Panchayat Samiti in 1996 and employed 40-50 laborers, and Vijay, a contractor supplying sugarcane to a cooperative sugar factory, were far from economically disadvantaged at the time.
The trial, which examined testimony from 10 witnesses, concluded with the court finding the brothers guilty of cheating, forgery, and related offenses under the Indian Penal Code. The judge, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Rupali Narwadiya, ordered the cancellation of the flat allotments and imposed rigorous imprisonment. However, within hours of the sentencing on February 20, Kokate secured bail, signaling the beginning of what promises to be a contentious legal battle. Speaking outside the courtroom, Kokate remained defiant, asserting his right as a citizen to seek justice and announcing plans to appeal the verdict in the Bombay High Court within the 30-day window available to him.
The case, sparked by a complaint from former minister T.S. Dighole, had simmered for 30 years, weaving through legal battles and political rivalries. Kokate, a five-time MLA from Sinnar, claimed political enmity fueled the accusation. Yet, the court’s verdict was clear. Granted bail swiftly, he vowed to appeal to the High Court. Under the Representation of People Act, a two-year sentence could strip him of his legislative and ministerial roles unless overturned.
As news spread, opposition parties pounced, demanding his resignation, while his NCP allies scrambled to contain the fallout. For Kokate, the next 30 days would decide if his political saga would endure.
