Mumbai: Senior Maharashtra minister Manikrao Kokate has reportedly gone incommunicado even as legal pressure mounts following his conviction in the 1995 flat allotment scam, raising strong speculation that his arrest could be imminent. Lawyers pursuing the case said Kokate deliberately failed to appear before the sessions court, prompting fresh legal moves that could close all remaining escape routes.
Advocate Ashutosh Rathod, representing the complainant side, said Kokate was legally required to surrender his bail bond and remain present before the sessions court after the verdict. “Despite being an accused, he intentionally avoided appearing before the court. To prevent this misuse of legal loopholes, we have filed an application seeking strict action,” Rathod said.
He added that the court has taken cognisance of the matter and observed why such an application became necessary. “As per the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), the legal process is now underway and could be completed within the next few hours,” he said, as quoted by Lokmat.
According to the report quoting legal experts, once guilt is established, arrest becomes procedural. Rathod stressed that under Section 418 of the CrPC, arrest is mandatory in such cases. “The application is still pending, but the process has started. This is a serious matter and arrest is unavoidable,” he said, adding that Kokate’s absence from court during the verdict itself strengthens the case for immediate action.
The advocate also revealed that the matter has already been placed before the Bombay High Court. “We were the first to approach the High Court, clearly stating that the accused must remain present when the judgment is pronounced. The case is extremely serious, and the chief minister should take suo motu cognisance and seek Kokate’s resignation,” Rathod said. He added that only a few hours remain before the legal consequences could extend to Kokate’s legislative position as well.
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About The Case
The case dates back to 1995 and was filed by former minister Tukaram Dighole, who accused Manikrao Kokate and his brother of forgery and fraud to secure flats under the chief minister’s discretionary quota. The prosecution alleged the Kokate brothers falsely claimed to belong to the low-income group and declared they owned no other property. Investigations later found the supporting documents to be forged.
While Kokate challenged the conviction, the sessions court upheld the sentence, though it set aside the order to return the flats to MHADA. Kokate now has one month to approach the Bombay High Court, even as the immediate threat of arrest looms large.
