Supreme Court Stays Conviction Of Ex-Maharashtra Minister Manikrao Kokate In Cheating Case
The Court stayed Kokate's conviction to the extent that there shall be no disqualification as a member of the legislative assembly.
The Supreme Court, today, has stayed the conviction of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Manikrao Kokate in a cheating case.
The vacation bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi ordered, "Issue Notice. Returnable on ... date. Meanwhile, the conviction of the Petitioner shall remain stayed to the extent that there shall be no result of disqualification as members of the state legislative assembly. However, that will not entitle the Petitioner to hold an office of profit."
Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi appeared for Kokate, Advocate Aaditya Pande appeared for the State of Maharashtra, and Senior Advocate Maninder Singh appeared for the Complainant.
Rohatgi submitted, "This is a case where he is Five times MLA, current minister, no antecedents, two year-sentence...I was not a holder of any post in 1989. I started as a lawyer, a lawyer in 1989 cannot have Rs. 30,000."
Kokate's conviction and two-year sentence by a magistrate in February this year were upheld by the Nashik sessions court last Tuesday, holding that he and his brother dishonestly induced the state government to allot them flats.