Maharashtra Sports Minister convicted in a decades-old cheating and forgery case registered in 1995
Maharashtra's Sports Minister Manikrao Shivaji Kokate and his brother Vijay have been found guilty of cheating and forgery for using fake affidavits between 1989 and 1994 to obtain government flats meant for the economically weaker section (EWS).
The case has been ongoing for nearly 30 years, after the FIR was filed in December 1995.
What happened next?
Kokate was sentenced to two years in jail and fined ₹10,000 by a Nashik court, with the conviction upheld again on December 16, 2025.
He tried appealing to the Bombay High Court but didn't get a temporary stay—his next hearing is set for December 19.
After his conviction, Kokate was hospitalized with chest pain and missed a cabinet meeting.
If the conviction stands, Kokate could lose his MLA seat under election laws that disqualify anyone jailed for over a year.