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The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Bombay High Court to decide within six months the criminal revision petition filed by Maharashtra MLA Manikrao Shivaji Kokate in a cheating and fraud case.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana also extended the stay on Kokate's conviction in the case. Kokate has been booked in connection with allegations of misuse of a government housing scheme that was operational from 1989 to 1992 and was intended to provide housing benefits to economically weaker sections. The scheme was available only to individuals with an annual income of up to Rs 30,000. It was alleged that Kokate and his brother Vijay submitted false affidavits by understating their income to become eligible for the scheme and were subsequently allotted two government flats. A sessions court in Nashik had, in February 2025, upheld Kokate's conviction in the case. Thereafter, the Bombay High Court also rejected Kokate's appeal challenging the conviction. Following this, the senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader approached the Supreme Court against the conviction and sentence imposed on him. The apex court, on an initial hearing in the matter, had granted limited relief to Kokate by staying the effect of the conviction, thereby protecting him from disqualification as an elected MLA. (ANI)
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