India, Feb. 25 -- A sessions court in Nashik on Monday suspended the two-year prison term handed to state agriculture minister Manikao Kokate and his brother Vijay Kokate, who were found guilty by a magistrate court of acquiring a government-quota flat by submitting fake documents.

The court suspended the sentence pending a decision on the agriculture minister's appeal. Another appeal by the minister seeks a stay on the conviction and an order on the same was expected on Tuesday, his lawyers told reporters outside the court premises. The court on Monday also granted the two brothers bail on a surety of Rs.1 lakh each.

The case dates back to 1995, when Kokate and his brother allegedly acquired flats under the government quota in Nashik b...