Mumbai, Dec. 19 -- The Bombay High Court granted bail to former Maharashtra minister Manikrao Kokate on Friday, in a 1995 cheating and forgery case, on a Rs 1 lakh surety as well as suspended his two-year jail term.
However, the court refused to stay his conviction, noting that prima facie evidence pointed to Kokate's involvement.
"Permitting a person convicted of criminal offence (to hold a ministerial position) solely on account of suspended sentence would cause grave and irreparable prejudice to public service," Justice R N Laddha stated.
The court stated that since Kokate has been sentenced to a jail term of only two years, it was inclined to grant bail. "The application for suspension of sentence is allowed. The (bail) applicant (Ko...