Supreme Court stays NCP leader Manikrao Kokate’s conviction in 1995 housing fraud case

The Supreme Court has halted the conviction of senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Maharashtra minister Manikrao Kokate in the 1995 Nashik housing fraud case. The court’s decision protects Kokate’s membership in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly but prohibits him from exercising any governmental powers during the ongoing proceedings.
This ruling follows the Bombay High Court’s refusal to stay Kokate’s conviction, although it did suspend his two-year jail sentence and shield him from arrest while considering his revision plea against the sessions court’s verdict. Kokate was convicted by a Nashik sessions court for unlawfully acquiring government flats reserved under the Chief Minister’s quota, leading to a two-year rigorous imprisonment term and a fine of Rs 50,000.
After the sessions court’s ruling, Kokate lost his Sports and Minority Affairs portfolios and subsequently resigned from the Maharashtra Cabinet. His resignation was accepted by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar amidst opposition pressure.
The case against Kokate and his brother Vijay Kokate dates back to 1995 and involves the alleged misappropriation of flats designated for low-income individuals without other properties. The prosecution claimed that the brothers used forged affidavits and documents to obtain flats in the Nirman View Apartment at Canada Corner in Nashik, including two additional flats allotted to other beneficiaries in the same building.
The fraud case was initiated at the Sarkarwada Police Station following a complaint by Vishwanath Patil, a former official of the Urban Land Ceiling (ULC) department, after an inquiry by the district administration.
Kokate has faced controversy since joining the Cabinet, previously losing the Agriculture portfolio over accusations of using his mobile phone during a Legislative Council session. Despite denying the allegations, his actions drew widespread criticism. He also faced backlash for comments on farmers and criticism of the BJP during a municipal campaign.