Supreme Court puts hold on ex-Maharashtra minister Manikrao Kokate's conviction
The Supreme Court has temporarily paused the conviction of Manikrao Kokate, a former Maharashtra minister, who was found guilty in 1995 of cheating and forgery.
Kokate and his brother were convicted for misusing a government housing scheme meant for low-income families in 1995—despite not qualifying, they got two flats by submitting false affidavits.
What this means for Kokate (and why it matters)
After his conviction, Kokate resigned from his ministerial roles, which were handed over to deputy CM Ajit Pawar.
The Bombay High Court had already put his jail term on hold but didn't overturn the conviction itself.
Now, thanks to the Supreme Court's stay, Kokate can keep his seat in the legislative assembly while he appeals—but he still can't hold any office of profit for now.
The case isn't over yet; a full hearing is coming up soon.