Shivaji Statue Collapse: Sculptor-Contractor Jaydeep Apte Arrested

Maharashtra Police arrested Jaydeep Apte, a sculptor-contractor wanted in connection with the collapse of the 35-foot-tall statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot Fort, from Kalyan in Thane district on Wednesday.

Apte, aged 24, had been missing and untraceable for around 10 days since the statue, which was inaugurated less than nine months ago, collapsed on August 26.

He is currently being held at the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), reported India Today.

Apte, the owner of an art company in Kalyan, had no prior experience constructing large statues. He was responsible for creating the Shivaji Maharaj statue at Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg's Malvan, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December of last year.

The statue's collapse sparked a major political controversy ahead of Maharashtra's Assembly elections, with the opposition accusing the Eknath Shinde-led government of negligence.

Reacting to the arrest, BJP leader Pravin Darekar commented, "Those who were critical of our government must shut their mouths now. It is true that police took a little long to arrest Jaydeep Apte. We are not taking any credit for arresting, but the police did their job."

As the controversy intensified, Maharashtra Police filed an FIR against Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

While Patil was arrested on August 31, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against Apte, prompting an extensive search in locations like Mumbai, Thane, and Kolhapur. A police team had previously visited Apte's residence in Kalyan, only to find it locked.

The political fallout from the statue's collapse was swift, with opposition leaders questioning how Apte, who lacked experience in crafting such a large structure, was awarded the significant contract.

Shiv Sena (UBT) accused the Mahayuti government of shielding Apte, while Maharashtra Congress alleged financial mismanagement, claiming that only Rs 1.5 crore was spent on the statue's construction despite Rs 236 crore being allocated from the state treasury for the project.