Mumbai, Dec 17 (NationPress) The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) minister, Manikrao Kokate, was relieved of his responsibilities in the sports and minority affairs ministries late Wednesday, following the issuance of an arrest warrant related to a housing fraud case that dates back to 1995.

Although he will remain a minister without portfolio in the state cabinet, the management of his previous departments will now fall under Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar.

Sources from the NCP indicated that a decision regarding Minister Kokate's resignation would be reached later tonight, after discussions between Deputy CM Pawar and state unit head Sunil Tatkare.

Manikrao Kokate, a five-term MLA representing the Sinnar constituency in Nashik district, has a history characterized by shifting political allegiances. He has received a two-year prison sentence.

The Sessions Court upheld his conviction for the illicit acquisition of government flats using forged documents.

In light of the court's judgment, an arrest warrant has been issued against Minister Kokate, who now faces the risk of arrest unless the High Court intervenes to grant a stay on his conviction.

As these legal issues unfold, Kokate's health has reportedly worsened, leading to his admission to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai. He was absent from the cabinet meeting held on Wednesday at Mantralaya.

Kokate's legal representatives informed the court of his hospitalization and requested a four-day delay on the arrest; however, this request was denied due to the absence of a medical certificate and the fact that he should have been present for the sessions court's ruling.

Minister Kokate has filed an appeal with the Mumbai High Court against the Sessions Court's decision, seeking an expedited hearing and a stay on his sentence.

If he does not secure urgent relief from the Mumbai High Court, his legal challenges are likely to escalate. A hearing has been set for Friday.

The case, which dates back to 1995, involves the fraudulent acquisition of flats designated for low-income individuals under the Chief Minister's quota. Manikrao Kokate and his brother, Vijay Kokate, were accused of submitting false affidavits and documents to obtain two flats in the 'Nirman View Apartment' situated in the Canada Corner area of Nashik.

Investigations indicated that the brothers were also occupying two additional flats in the same building that were allocated to other individuals. Following an inquiry by the District Administration, Vishwanath Patil, then an official with the Urban Land Ceiling (ULC) department, filed a formal complaint.

A fraud case was subsequently initiated at the Sarkarwada Police Station against four individuals, including the Kokate brothers. The court has now sentenced them to two years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 each.

Since joining the cabinet, Minister Kokate has frequently found himself at the center of various controversies. Following the monsoon session of the state legislature in July, he was removed from the agriculture ministry after NCP (Sharad Pawar) MLA Rohit Pawar shared videos on social media alleging Kokate was playing games on his mobile during a Legislative Council session.

Despite Kokate's denial of these allegations, the incident attracted significant backlash.

Furthermore, Minister Kokate ignited public outrage with contentious remarks about farmers, stating, "Even a beggar doesn't accept one rupee, while we provide crop insurance for just one rupee; yet some individuals attempt to exploit it." During a municipal campaign, he criticized his coalition partner, the BJP, labeling it a "corrupt party" (batlela paksha) that focuses solely on undermining other parties while neglecting its loyal members.

Earlier this year, another NCP Minister, Dhananjay Munde, had to step down after his aide Walmik Karad was implicated in the murder of the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, Santosh Deshmukh.