Shivaji Maharaj Statue Collapse: "Everyone is Equal Before the Law," Says CM Eknath Shinde on Sculptor Jaydeep Apte's Arrest

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has commented on the recent arrest of Jaydeep Apte, the sculptor of the collapsed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue at Rajkot Fort. Shinde stated, "I had said this earlier, everyone is equal before the law and he was bound to get arrested... Jaydeep Apte will now be investigated. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is our god and what happened was very unfortunate. Politicizing the matter is very unfortunate."

#WATCH | On the arrest of Jaydeep Apte, the sculptor of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's statue, Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde says, "I had said this earlier, everyone is equal before the law and he was bound to get arrested... Jaydeep Apte will now be investigated. Chhatrapati… pic.twitter.com/gIL8vIgON9

— ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2024

Apte, who had been absconding for two weeks following the statue's collapse on August 26, was apprehended at his residence in Kalyan. The arrest came after a concerted effort by seven teams led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Sachin Gunjal. Apte had been evading arrest, but was eventually taken into custody and handed over to Sindhudurg police for further investigation.

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The life-sized statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj collapsed at Rajkot Fort in Sindhudurg district, leading to the immediate arrest of structural consultant Chetan Patil. Both Patil and Apte were named as suspects in the incident. Patil was arrested shortly after the collapse, while Apte had been on the run until his recent capture.

A lookout notice was issued for Apte by Malvan police, and multiple teams were deployed to track him down. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities examining potential causes for the statue's collapse, including possible negligence, faulty design, or construction flaws.