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NCP Minister Manikrao Kokate In Trouble As Court Issues Arrest Warrant In 1995 Forgery Case
NCP Minister Manikrao Kokate In Trouble As Court Issues Arrest Warrant In 1995 Forgery Case
The Nashik district court on Wednesday issued an arrest warrant against Maharashtra Sports Minister Manikrao Kokate over allegations of cheating and forgery to obtain two apartments under the Chief Minister's 10% housing quota.
The district court's decision came a day after the Nashik sessions court upheld the two-year sentence awarded to Kokate by the magistrate's court in February this year in the fraud case dating back over three decades, news agency PTI reported.
Meanwhile, the NCP leader moved the Bombay High Court, challenging his conviction and the two-year jail term in the case. His lawyer mentioned the plea before a single bench of Justice R N Laddha, seeking an urgent hearing. The court, however, posted it for hearing on Friday.
According to sources, Kokate would likely resign if he fails to get relief from the High Court. As per the law, any MLA convicted of an offence and sentenced to imprisonment of two years or more stands automatically disqualified from holding an elected office or contesting the polls. The provision flows from Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, and was reinforced by a landmark Supreme Court judgment in 2013.
Additionally, all the portfolios held by Kokate have been transferred to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar with immediate effect. According to an official communication issued by Governor Acharya Devvrat, the transfer was approved following a recommendation by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, with Ajit Pawar taking charge of departments including Sports and Youth Welfare, Minority Development and Auqaf.
While Kokate has not tendered his resignation, the decision effectively strips him of his ministerial responsibilities.
The complaint in the cheating and forgery case was lodged by former Maharashtra minister, late T S Dighole. On Wednesday, Anjali Dighole-Rathod, daughter of late Dighole, filed an application regarding Kokate's arrest in the matter.
After hearing arguments on the plea on Wednesday, the court allowed the application and issued the warrant. The order directed Kokate to immediately surrender before the police or be arrested.
The court observed that the law is equal for all, whether the accused is a minister or an ordinary citizen. During the hearing, Kokate's counsel strongly argued against the issuance of the arrest warrant and sought a sympathetic view. Advocate Manoj Pingale, appearing for Kokate, urged the court to consider the minister's circumstances.
The court also took serious note of Kokate's absence during the previous day's hearing, when he was expected to remain present. The court pulled him up for non-appearance. Kokate's lawyer informed the court that the minister was undergoing medical treatment at a hospital, however, no supporting medical documents were submitted.
A magistrate's court on February 20 convicted the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and his brother Vijay, and sentenced them to two-year imprisonment in the case pertaining to submission of fake documents to get flats under state government quota. The magistrate's court had also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 each on the Kokate brothers.
The case dates back nearly three decades in 1995. Kokate and his brother were allotted two flats meant for the Low Income Group (LIG) on College Road in Yeolakar Mala area of Nashik under the chief minister's 10 per cent discretionary quota.
To be eligible, they made false claims of belonging to Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category in a prime area of Nashik city. Following a complaint by late Minister of State Tukaram Dighole, the district administration conducted an inquiry into the allotment of these flats. A first-class judicial magistrate court later convicted Manikrao Kokate and his brother, sentencing them to two years of imprisonment each and imposing a fine of Rs 50,000.
(With inputs from agencies)
Source: News18
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