{"id":26661,"date":"2025-12-19T18:56:33","date_gmt":"2025-12-19T18:56:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/19\/manikrao-kokate-gets-bail-rummy-clip-to-beggar-farm-loan-remarks-ex-ministers-controversies-mumbai-news-news\/"},"modified":"2025-12-19T18:56:33","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T18:56:33","slug":"manikrao-kokate-gets-bail-rummy-clip-to-beggar-farm-loan-remarks-ex-ministers-controversies-mumbai-news-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/2025\/12\/19\/manikrao-kokate-gets-bail-rummy-clip-to-beggar-farm-loan-remarks-ex-ministers-controversies-mumbai-news-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Manikrao Kokate Gets Bail: \u2018Rummy\u2019 Clip To Beggar, Farm Loan Remarks, Ex-Minister\u2019s Controversies | Mumbai-news News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"story-9781312\">\n<p><span class=\"jsx-395e0e0beb19cb6e jsx-3759419209\">Last Updated:<\/span><time class=\"jsx-395e0e0beb19cb6e jsx-3759419209\">December 19, 2025, 19:51 IST<\/time><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"asubttl-9781312\" class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-3871928922 asubttl-schema\">NCP leader Manikrao Kokate was accused of securing a flat in a government scheme for the economically weaker section (EWS) by submitting false affidavits about his income<\/h2>\n<div class=\"jsx-cc1b15cf85effb8b artsharwrp\"><a href=\"https:\/\/news18.co\/gnps-en-btn\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"jsx-91f4da8d48c13a79 gglebtn bgsky\"\/><\/p>\n<div id=\"artshare\" class=\"jsx-cc1b15cf85effb8b artshare\">\n<div class=\"jsx-cc1b15cf85effb8b stickdiv\">\n<div class=\"jsx-cc1b15cf85effb8b deskwrapstkdiv\">\n<div class=\"jsx-cc1b15cf85effb8b fontchange\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.news18.com\/dlxczavtqcctuei\/news18\/static\/images\/english\/font.svg\" height=\"30px\" width=\"30px\" alt=\"font\" title=\"font\" class=\"jsx-cc1b15cf85effb8b lazyload\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-3871928922\">\n<figure class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-3871928922 amimg\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Maharashtra minister Manikrao Kokate was convicted in a cheating and forgery case. (X) \" title=\"Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Maharashtra minister Manikrao Kokate was convicted in a cheating and forgery case. (X) \" src=\"https:\/\/images.news18.com\/ibnlive\/uploads\/2021\/07\/1627283897_news18_logo-1200x800.jpg?impolicy=website&amp;width=400&amp;height=225\" loading=\"eager\" fetchpriority=\"high\" class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-3871928922\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Maharashtra minister Manikrao Kokate was convicted in a cheating and forgery case. (X) <\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"0\" class=\"story_para_0\">The Bombay High Court on Friday granted bail to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Maharashtra minister <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/politics\/maharashtra-sports-minister-manikrao-kokate-resigns-after-conviction-in-1995-case-9777106.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Manikrao Kokate<\/a> in a cheating and forgery case linked to a government housing scheme, and suspended his two-year jail term.<\/p>\n<p id=\"1\" class=\"story_para_1\">The court, however, refused to stay the conviction noting that prima facie evidence pointed to Kokate\u2019s involvement.<\/p>\n<p id=\"2\" class=\"story_para_2\">The NCP leader was accused of securing a flat in a government scheme for the economically weaker section (EWS) by submitting false affidavits about his income.<\/p>\n<p id=\"3\" class=\"story_para_3\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/india\/hc-grants-bail-to-ncps-manikrao-kokate-in-1995-forgery-case-refuses-to-suspend-his-sentence-9781127.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Kokate\u2019s <\/a>conviction was upheld by the Nashik district and sessions court on Tuesday. On Thursday night, he resigned from the Maharashtra cabinet where he held the sports and youth affairs portfolio.<\/p>\n<h2>Who is Manikrao Kokate?<\/h2>\n<p id=\"5\" class=\"story_para_5\">Kokate was earlier with the Shiv Sena (undivided), after which he joined the Congress and eventually Ajit Pawar\u2019s Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in 2023. After the Mahayuti\u2019s victory in 2024, he was made a minister and held the key agriculture portfolio.<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><iframe title=\"Maharashtra Minister Manikrao Kokate Steps Down After Court Upholds His Conviction in Fraud Case\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RChEZFNjTl8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>The case in which he was convicted<\/h2>\n<p id=\"8\" class=\"story_para_8\">The case against Kokate dates back to 1989-1992, involving a housing scheme for EWS with an annual income limit of Rs 30,000. He was accused of securing a flat for him in the scheme by submitting false income affidavits.<\/p>\n<p id=\"9\" class=\"story_para_9\">Citing bank loans for grapes and rabi crops, as well as records from the Kopargaon Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana (sugar factory), the magistrate\u2019s court noted that he was a prosperous farmer whose income far exceeded the eligibility threshold.<\/p>\n<h2>The controversies Kokate has been involved in<\/h2>\n<p id=\"11\" class=\"story_para_11\"><strong>Beggar remark: <\/strong>In February, as the agriculture minister, Kokate landed in controversy, when at a meeting in Amravati, he spoke about the Rs 1 crop insurance scheme. \u201cEven beggars do not accept one rupee in alms but the government is giving crop insurance at this price, and even this is being misused,&#8221; he said. Eventually, several irregularities by applicants came to the fore.<\/p>\n<p id=\"12\" class=\"story_para_12\"><strong>\u2018Defaulting on purpose\u2019:<\/strong> Kokate accused farmers of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/india\/defaulting-insurance-companies-to-face-blacklisting-says-maharashtra-agriculture-minister-9415507.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">defaulting <\/a>on crop loans, hoping for waivers. \u201cYou take loans and then default for five to ten years expecting them to be waived. Farmers are not investing in their lands,&#8221; he had said.<\/p>\n<p id=\"13\" class=\"story_para_13\"><strong>Rummy row: <\/strong>A major <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/cities\/mumbai-news\/maharashtra-minister-kokate-played-rummy-for-over-18-minutes-during-assembly-rohit-pawar-ws-l-9473593.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">political storm<\/a> erupted when a video circulated showing Kokate allegedly playing an online card game on his phone during a legislative assembly session. The clip \u2014 shared by fellow NCP SP politician Rohit Pawar \u2014 drew heavy criticism because it appeared to show him distracted while legislative business was underway. The opposition used it to attack the ruling government, saying it reflected a lack of seriousness, especially amid ongoing agrarian distress in the state. Kokate denied playing rummy, claiming he was closing a pop-up ad, and even sent a defamation notice to Pawar over the allegation.<\/p>\n<p id=\"14\" class=\"story_para_14\">Kokate was then removed from the agriculture Ministry and shifted to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/politics\/no-resignation-just-reassignment-manikrao-kokate-shifted-after-assembly-rummy-row-ws-l-9476993.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sports <\/a>&amp; Youth Welfare portfolio by the state government \u2014 a move seen as a demotion.<\/p>\n<p id=\"15\" class=\"story_para_15\"><em>With PTI Inputs<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-3871928922 atbtlink fp\"><span>First Published:<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"rs\">\n<p>December 19, 2025, 19:43 IST<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-3871928922 brdcrmb\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/\">News<\/a>  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/mumbai-news\/\">mumbai-news<\/a>  <span class=\"brdout\"> Manikrao Kokate Gets Bail: \u2018Rummy\u2019 Clip To Beggar, Farm Loan Remarks, Ex-Minister\u2019s Controversies<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"coral-wrap\" class=\"jsx-ba4d8f086a12294f \">\n<div class=\"jsx-ba4d8f086a12294f coral-cont\">\n<div class=\"jsx-ba4d8f086a12294f coltoptxt\">Disclaimer: Comments reflect users\u2019 views, not News18\u2019s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/disclaimer\/\" class=\"jsx-ba4d8f086a12294f\">Terms of Use<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/privacy_policy\/\" class=\"jsx-ba4d8f086a12294f\">Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"jsx-ee90caf6118df965 jsx-3871928922 rmbtn news18_read_more\">Read More<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.news18.com\/cities\/mumbai-news\/manikrao-kokate-gets-bail-rummy-clip-to-beggar-farm-loan-remarks-ex-ministers-controversies-ws-kl-9781312.html\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Last Updated:December 19, 2025, 19:51 IST NCP leader Manikrao Kokate was accused of securing a flat in a government scheme for the economically weaker section (EWS) by submitting false affidavits about his income Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Maharashtra minister Manikrao Kokate was convicted in a cheating and forgery case. (X) The Bombay&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26662,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26661","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26661","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26661"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26661\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26662"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26661"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26661"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26661"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}