Nashik district court’s decision to sentence Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate to two years of rigorous imprisonment for acquiring residential flats from the chief minister’s 10 per cent quota by illegal means has come as a big blow to the NCP Ajit Pawar faction. Already, another NCP minister— Dhananjay Munde—is in the eye of a storm over the murder of a sarpanch in Beed. Now, with Kokate being sentenced, it is a double blow for Ajit Pawar’s party whose public image has taken a severe beating.
VIDEO | Here's what Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal (@harshsapkal) said, demanding state minister Manikrao Kokate's resignation.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 21, 2025
"Lal Bahadur Shastri was the first one to resign after a railway accident. He set an example of morality. Here, Manikrao Kokate has… pic.twitter.com/QXKKCBy8WY
The case dates back to the mid-1990s when Kokate was yet to become a legislator. At that time he, along with his brother, applied for chief minister quota flats in Nashik with the help of then minister of state Tukaram Dighole. Dighole represented Sinnar constituency and belonged to the Congress party. The flats obtained by Kokate brothers are situated at Nirman View apartment at College Road in Nashik.
#WATCH | Nashik: Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate sentenced to 2-year imprisonment and Rs 50,000 fine imposed on a cheating case
— ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2025
Poonam Ghotke, Assistant Public Prosecutor, says, " We had examined total 10 witnesses in this case...after examining all the 10… pic.twitter.com/LkMblCk1ej
When Kokate and Dighole fell out due to political differences, Dighole is said to have filed this case against the Kokate brothers, alleging that they had fraudulently obtained flats from CM quota by claiming that they belonged to lower income group by forging documents. The case was filed by the then additional collector of Nashik, which Kokate claims was done under the influence of Dighole.
In 1999, Kokate won legislative assembly elections on a Shiv Sena ticket by defeating Dighole and started taking control of the various institutions in the constituency. As he grew in stature, the case against him was soon forgotten, only to resurface when the Nashik court sentenced him.
Dighole died in 2019 when the case was still being heard.
Kokate is now at the risk of losing the position as minister and MLA as he has been convicted. He said he will file an appeal against the lower court verdict in the Bombay High Court. So, as such there is no immediate threat to his position. However, if he loses the case in HC, he may not be able to continue as minister and MLA.
