Nashik Court Upholds Two-Year Jail Term for Maharashtra Minister in Forgery Case

Maharashtra Sports Minister Manikrao Kokate has had his two-year jail term upheld by a Nashik court for dishonestly securing a flat under a scheme for the economically weaker section. The court found Kokate was a prosperous farmer during the application period, hence not eligible for the scheme.

Maharashtra Sports Minister Manikrao Kokate's legal troubles continue as a Nashik court has upheld his two-year jail sentence for securing a flat meant for the economically weaker section through dishonest means. The court ruled that Kokate, a Nationalist Congress Party leader, deceived the government with false income documents.

The minister and his brother were accused of submitting forged documents to obtain flats between 1989 and 1992 under a state housing scheme. Despite earning an income surpassing the government's threshold, Kokate falsely claimed eligibility, leading to wrongful allotment of flats.

Evidence from farm loan statements and sugarcane sales illustrated Kokate's affluent status, making him ineligible for the housing scheme. However, the court noted that the trial court lacked jurisdiction for cancelling the flat allotments, focusing solely on Kokate's established misconduct under various Indian Penal Code sections.

(With inputs from agencies.)