Shivaji statue collapse: Absconding contractor-sculptor Jaydeep Apte arrested
Contractor and sculptor Jaydeep Apte, who was wanted in connection with the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue at Rajkot fort, has been arrested from Kalyan in Thane district. The Sindhudurg Police had been searching for Apte since August 26 when the statue he constructed collapsed less than nine months after its inauguration. According to reports, Apte is currently being held at the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP).
Negligence charges and political fallout
Following the statue's collapse, Malvan police had registered a case against Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil for negligence and other offenses. Patil was arrested from Kolhapur last week. Notably, Apte, the owner of an art company in Kalyan with no previous experience of erecting such sculptures, was responsible for creating the Shivaji Maharaj statue. The incident sparked a significant political controversy ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections, with opposition parties targeting the Eknath Shinde-led government over this issue.
Political reactions and forensic investigation
Reacting to Apte's arrest, BJP leader Pravin Darekar stated, "Those who were critical of our government must shut their mouths now. It is true that the police took a little long to arrest Jaydeep Apte. We are not taking any credit for arresting, but the police did their job." Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushama Andhare argued that the state government should not take credit for this arrest as it was their duty.
Allegations of financial irregularities and inexperience
State Congress chief Nana Patole alleged that only ₹1.5 crore were spent on the statue's construction, despite ₹236 crore being allocated. The Malvan Public Works Department had reportedly alerted the navy's local coastal security officer and commander Abhishek Karbhari of the statue's "deteriorating condition" just a week before the incident. The letter indicated that Apte repaired the statue in June. However, the nuts and bolts used in the statue had "rusted" owing to exposure to rain and sea water.
