Mumbai: A day after a lookout notice issued by the Sindhudurg District Superintendent of Police, the Kalyan Police has arrested the sculptor Jaydeep Apte from his residence. Apte was absconding following the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s statue at the Rajkot Fort in Malvan, Sindhudurg district. Apte took advantage of the darkness and came to his Kalyan residence to meet his wife and mother, avoiding the police. However, the police arrested him from his residence.
The police have already arrested structural engineer Chetan Patil under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita. The police had registered a case against him after a public outrage over the fall of the statue. The lookout notice was issued on Tuesday for Apte’s arrest if he tries to leave India through any national airport.
After the incident, Apte’s family went to Shahapur to stay with their relatives. However, the police went there and questioned Apte’s wife and mother. The Kalyan Police had repeatedly visited Apte’s family to arrest him but could not do so.
The Opposition has also slammed the MahaYuti government for allegedly shielding Apte and corruption involved in the completion of the statue. The statue was unveiled in December 2023. However, after just eight months on August 26, 2024, the 35-feet statue collapsed reportedly due to heavy wind speed.