India, Dec. 19 -- Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) minister Manikrao Kokate has resigned from the Maharashtra cabinet, party president and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar confirmed on Thursday, a day after a trial court in Nashik issued an arrest warrant against the Sinnar MLA in connection with a cheating and forgery case dating back over three decades.

A Nashik police team reached Mumbai late on Thursday evening to arrest Kokate, who was admitted to Lilavati Hospital on Wednesday after complaining of high blood pressure. The police visited the hospital and consulted with doctors regarding Kokate's treatment. The MLA's team of lawyers was also present at the hospital, along with his family members, who reportedly requested the police t...