Maharashtra minister faces arrest in old forgery case
Maharashtra's Sports Minister Manikrao Kokate is facing an arrest warrant in a 1995 cheating and forgery case.
He and his brother were found guilty of using fake documents to claim Economically Weaker Section status and secure two low-income flats in Nashik, taking advantage of the Chief Minister's quota.
Back in February 2025, both were sentenced to two years in jail and fined ₹50,000 each.
What's happening now
A sessions court upheld their conviction but let them keep the flats.
The very next day, an arrest warrant was issued for Kokate after he missed a hearing—he said he was hospitalized but couldn't prove it. Police have been told to find him.
Meanwhile, Kokate has asked the Bombay High Court to pause his conviction since it could get him disqualified as an MLA under election laws.