Maharashtra: Nashik court issues arrest warrant against NCP minister Manikrao Kokate; faces jail in forgery cases

NEW DELHI: A Nashik court on Wednesday issued an arrest warrant against Maharashtra NCP minister Manikrao Kokate, facing a 2-year jail term in a cheating, forgery case.

This comes after a session court in Nashik on Tuesday confirmed and upheld the trial court’s judgement of February, convicting and sentencing Maharashtra sports minister and his brother Vijay.

They have been sentenced for two years of rigorous imprisonment for securing two flats in 1995 under the state’s 10% economically weaker sections (EWS) quota by understating their income.





The warrant has again reignited the questions around Kokate’s continuation as an MLA from Sinnara and his position as state cabinet minister. Under the Representation of the People Act, an MP or MLA faces immediate disqualification if convicted and sentenced to two years or more, unless the conviction itself is stayed by a higher court.

While confirming the conviction and sentence, the sessions court partly modified the trial court’s order by setting aside two charges and quashing directions issued to the Maharashtra housing and area development authority (MHADA) and the deputy collector (ULC) to cancel the allotment of the flats.
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