The Maharashtra government has initiated a thorough examination of the dealings between Rohit Arya, the hostage-taker killed in a police operation in Mumbai, and the state's education department. This inquiry follows the tragic incident in Powai where Arya held 17 children and two adults hostage at RA Studio, claiming the drastic action was a result of pending dues for a government project.
The Hostage Crisis and Arya's Claims
On Thursday, October 30, 2025, Rohit Arya, 50, took 19 people hostage, including 17 children aged between 10 and 12, at a studio in Powai. The children were reportedly called in for auditions for a web series. Arya, armed with a gun, claimed he was driven to this extreme measure due to the Maharashtra government's failure to pay him ₹2 crore for his work as a project consultant with the education department. After a tense two-hour standoff, police commandos stormed the studio, fatally shooting Arya and rescuing all the hostages.
Government Response and Investigation
In the wake of the incident, Maharashtra's School Education Minister, Dada Bhuse, has sought a detailed report on Arya's association with the department. "The department appears to have taken action against him. We have sought a detailed report from the department on the work done by him," Bhuse told reporters.
The education department has acknowledged Arya's involvement in the Swachhta Monitor initiative under Project Let's Change. This project, which ran from July 20 to October 2, 2023, involved students acting as cleanliness monitors to discourage spitting and littering. According to a government resolution dated January 25, 2024, around 64,000 schools and 59 lakh students participated in the program. A total of ₹20.63 crore was sanctioned for the project, with ₹2 crore specifically allocated for the second phase, which Arya handled.
However, the department has disputed Arya's claims of unpaid dues, stating that he failed to provide proper documentation and that he had been collecting registration fees from schools for the Swachhta Monitor 2024-25 program. The department further claimed that Arya was asked to deposit the collected amount and submit a detailed budget, which he allegedly did not do.
Conflicting Accounts and Past Involvement
Former state school education minister Deepak Kesarkar confirmed Arya's involvement in the Swachhta Monitor project and acknowledged providing him with financial assistance. However, Kesarkar also stated that the department had concerns about Arya collecting money directly from students through a website and had sought an explanation from him. Kesarkar also confirmed that the government was ready to pay Arya, but they learned that Arya had collected money from the students. They asked him to return the money before the government paid him his dues.
Arya's grievances over unpaid dues were not new. He had previously staged protests in Pune and Mumbai, including a hunger strike in front of Kesarkar's bungalow, and had been detained by the police.
Broader Implications
The incident has raised concerns about the plight of contractors working for the state government and the red tape they often face in getting their dues. Jitendra Awhad, an MLA and former minister, expressed concern over contractors being forced to resort to desperate measures to get their payments.
The investigation into Arya's dealings with the education department is expected to shed light on the financial aspects of the Swachhta Monitor project, the reasons behind the alleged non-payment of dues, and the overall transparency and accountability of government projects involving private individuals or companies.
