Announcing his resignation from the Cabinet, Mane said, ``Though there are no specific strictures against me, I have decided to resign from the Cabinet to uphold dignity of my party.''

Mane, a trusted aide of former Chief Minister Manohar Joshi, submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Narayan Rane and urged to accept the same with immediate effect and appoint a high-level inquiry committee as recommended by the High Court to probe into the scandal.

Mane also thanked Justice B N Srikrishna as well as S S Parkar for their observations stating that he (Mane) had no selfish motives nor was guilty in the case. ``Thepost of a Cabinet member is a temporary one and I do not attach much importance to it. However, in public life, one's character and dignity is more important,'' Mane pointed out.

Unlike Manohar Joshi who declared his resignation promptly after the HC ruling was pronounced, Mane delayed his move as he was awaiting instructions from the party president Thackeray and Chief Minister Narayan Rane.

Rane had gone on record saying that he would not sack Mane and in the event he resigns on his own, his resignation would not be accepted.

So far, a total of seven ministers of the alliance government have resigned from the Cabinet for reasons ranging from corruption charges to dissidence.