In a dramatic and tragic turn of events, the Maharashtra government has firmly denied claims made by Mumbai-based filmmaker Rohit Arya, who was shot dead by police on Thursday after holding 19 people, including 17 children, hostage in Powai. Arya had accused the state government of withholding ₹2 crore allegedly owed to him for an urban cleanliness campaign called Project Let’s Change.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
The Incident
The shocking hostage situation unfolded in the Powai area of Mumbai, where Arya barricaded himself and several hostages inside a building for several hours. Before the standoff began, he released a video on social media claiming that he was being denied payments for his work under the Let’s Change urban sanitation drive. Arya described his grievances as “simple, moral, and ethical demands,” though he did not provide any detailed explanation of his claims.
The crisis ended when police commandos stormed the premises and fatally shot Arya to rescue the hostages. Thankfully, all 19 hostages, including 17 schoolchildren, were safely evacuated.
Government Clarification
Hours after the incident, the Maharashtra Education Department issued a detailed statement clarifying that Rohit Arya and his company, Apsara Media Entertainment Network, had indeed been selected in 2022 and 2023 to lead Project Let’s Change, an urban sanitation initiative aimed at promoting cleanliness in schools and communities.
Under the project, around 59 lakh students were appointed as “swachhata monitors” to promote hygiene and cleanliness awareness. The government confirmed that a sum of ₹9.9 lakh was officially disbursed via a government order dated 30 June 2023 for the first phase of the project.
The second phase of the initiative, planned for 2023–24 under the Mukhyamantri Majhi Shala Sundar Shala scheme, had a total sanctioned amount of ₹20.63 crore, which included ₹2 crore for activities related to swachhata monitors.
However, the Education Department said that Arya failed to submit complete project documentation required for the release of further funds. The submitted documents reportedly contained “technical gaps” and “inflated costs” for advertising, manpower, technical support, and the screening of Arya’s Let’s Change documentary.
Project Suspension and Financial Discrepancies
According to the government, due to these irregularities, the project could not be implemented as planned. A year later, Arya reportedly sought to revive the initiative on a larger scale, proposing to include all schools across Maharashtra and demanding an additional ₹2.42 crore.
While this proposal was under review, authorities discovered that Arya had been collecting “registration fees” from schools participating in the drive—something he was not authorised to do under government norms.
Maharashtra Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse stated,
“Certain procedures such as tenders and official approvals are mandatory for government projects. No such procedures were followed in this case. The private company collected money from schools directly, which violates government rules.”
In August 2024, the Education Department directed Arya to return all collected funds to the government’s account and submit an affidavit pledging not to collect money from schools in the future. However, the department confirmed that Arya neither returned the money nor filed the affidavit, leading to the termination of the project.
Political and Administrative Background
The Let’s Change project was discontinued following the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections and the return of Devendra Fadnavis as Chief Minister under the BJP-led Mahayuti administration. The government reiterated that Arya’s claims of being owed ₹2 crore were “baseless” and that any pending payments were halted due to incomplete compliance and financial irregularities.
Family’s Reaction
After the incident, Anjali Arya, Rohit’s wife, spoke to reporters and said her husband had been deeply frustrated by what he saw as government negligence. She claimed that he had been fighting both for the ₹2 crore payment and for recognition of his contribution to the cleanliness campaign.
Broader Implications
The tragedy has sparked a broader debate on how public-private collaborations in social initiatives are managed. Experts have called for stricter monitoring and transparency in project approvals, fund disbursements, and public communication.
While the Maharashtra government maintains that its actions followed due process, the case has drawn attention to how administrative delays, miscommunication, and a lack of grievance redressal can sometimes push individuals into extreme actions.
In summary, the Maharashtra government has categorically denied owing any money to Rohit Arya, clarifying that the Let’s Change project was suspended due to documentation lapses and unauthorised fund collection. However, the tragic end to Arya’s protest has raised difficult questions about accountability, transparency, and the human cost of bureaucratic breakdowns.
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