Maharashtra's 'Rummy' Minister Resigns Hours After Conviction In 1995 Case
https://ift.tt/hmaj7dw Maharashtra Sports Minister and NCP leader Manikrao Kokate resigned, hours after a court upheld his conviction in a three-decade-old housing scam case, triggering political churn within the state's ruling Mahayuti alliance and intensifying pressure on Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Kokate, who held the sports portfolio and was later left without charge following earlier controversies, stepped down on Wednesday after a Nashik sessions court confirmed a two-year prison sentence against him. The Maharashtra Sports Ministry is now under Ajit Pawar's charge. Kokate and his brother, Vijay Kokate, were convicted in a case dating back to 1995, relating to the alleged misuse of a 10 per cent quota meant for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) in a housing scheme. The brothers were found guilty of offences including cheating and forgery. The sessions court upheld the sentence earlier awarded by a magistrate, paving the way for Kokate's possible disqual...