Arrest Imminent? Maharashtra Minister Manikrao Kokate Goes Off Radar After Conviction in 1995 CM Quota Flat Scam

Mumbai: Political uncertainty deepened in Maharashtra on Tuesday after senior cabinet minister Manikrao Kokate reportedly became unreachable amid rapidly tightening legal action following his conviction in the decades-old chief minister’s discretionary quota flat case. His absence from court proceedings has fuelled speculation that arrest proceedings could be initiated at any moment.

Legal representatives involved in the case confirmed that Kokate failed to appear before the sessions court after the verdict, despite being legally obligated to do so. This move, they argue, amounts to a deliberate attempt to evade the judicial process, prompting the complainant side to seek urgent intervention from the court.

Advocate Ashutosh Rathod, appearing for the complainant, said that once a conviction is delivered, the accused must surrender the bail bond and remain present before the court. “In this case, the convicted individual avoided the court despite clear legal requirements. We have therefore moved an application seeking strict action to prevent any abuse of procedural safeguards,” Rathod stated.

The sessions court has taken serious note of the application, observing that such a plea became necessary due to the accused’s conduct. Legal experts pointed out that under the Criminal Procedure Code, arrest following conviction is a procedural step rather than a discretionary one. Rathod emphasised that Section 418 of the CrPC makes arrest mandatory once guilt has been established. “The legal process has already begun. This is not optional anymore, and arrest is inevitable,” he said.

The matter has also reached the Bombay High Court, where the complainant side has argued that Kokate should have remained present when the judgment was pronounced. Rathod said the seriousness of the conviction warrants immediate political accountability as well. “This is a grave case. The Chief Minister should take suo motu cognisance and seek his resignation,” he added, noting that the consequences could soon extend to Kokate’s legislative status.

The case dates back to 1995, when former minister Tukaram Dighole accused Manikrao Kokate and his brother of cheating and forgery to secure residential flats under the chief minister’s discretionary quota. The prosecution alleged that the brothers falsely declared themselves as belonging to the low-income group and claimed they owned no property. Subsequent investigations found the documents submitted in support of these claims to be forged.

Although Kokate challenged the conviction, the sessions court upheld the sentence, offering partial relief by setting aside the directive to return the flats to MHADA. While he has a one-month window to approach the Bombay High Court for further relief, legal observers say this does not shield him from immediate custodial action.