NCP Minister Sentenced for Housing Fraud

• Maharashtra agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate and his brother Vijay were sentenced to two years in prison for securing flats under a government quota using fake documents.
• The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on each of the five offences for both convicts, totaling Rs 50,000 each.
• The court directed the cancellation of the flat allotments after the appeal period, while granting bail to the Kokate brothers to file an appeal.
• The case, filed in 1995, involved misrepresenting income to qualify for flats meant for economically weaker sections.
• The opposition has demanded Kokate's resignation, citing the Representation of the People Act, which disqualifies public representatives sentenced to two or more years in prison.

Source: The Times Of India, Hindustan Times