The Bombay High Court on Friday (December 19, 2025) granted bail to NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Manikrao Kokate in a cheating and forgery case linked to a government housing scheme, and suspended his two-year jail term.
The court, however, refused to stay the conviction noting that prima facie evidence pointed to Kokate's involvement. The NCP leader was accused of securing a flat in a government scheme for the economically weaker section (EWS) by submitting false affidavits about his income.
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"Permitting a person convicted of criminal offence (to hold a cabinet position) solely on account of suspended sentence would cause grave and irreparable prejudice to public service," said the court.
In his order, Justice R.N. Laddha noted that Kokate was on bail throughout the trial before the magistrate's court and also during the pendency of the appeal before the session's court.
