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The Maharashtra government on Thursday issued a detailed clarification stating that late Rohit Arya and his firm, Afsara Media Entertainment Networks, had no official connection with the state’s School Education Department or its programmes. In an official release, the government said that Arya’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) project ‘Swachhta Monitor’ was approved only once in 2021 with funding of Rs 9 lakh, but its subsequent versions, ‘Swachhta Monitor 2.0’ and a Rs 6.14 crore proposal for 2024–25, were never sanctioned. “The CSR project ‘Swachhta Monitor’ was approved only in 2021 with Rs 9 lakh funding, but its later versions, including ‘Swachhta Monitor 2.0’ and the Rs 6.14 crore 2024–25 proposal, were never sanctioned,” the release stated. The government added that despite this, Arya’s organisation continued activities privately without authorisation and without approval to collect funds from schools. “Despite this, the organisation continued its activities privately without approval or authorisation to collect funds from schools. The government has no financial or administrative responsibility for the project, and Arya’s death is unrelated to the department,” the statement mentioned. Maharashtra government’s clarification on Mumbai hostage taker The clarification came hours after a three-hour hostage drama in Powai ended successfully on Thursday with the rescue of 17 children and two adults, but the hostage-taker Rohit Arya was killed after sustaining a bullet injury during the police operation. Arya (50), who had earlier claimed that his dues for a project for the Maharashtra education department were pending and had even staged a protest in Pune, was declared dead at the hospital. Later, School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse said that a detailed report had been sought from the department after Arya’s allegations that the state government owed him Rs 2 crore. “Approval, expenditure, procedures, tenders and terms and conditions are required for government projects. However, no such procedures appear to have been implemented in this case. It has been found that the private media firm has collected money from schools, which is not permissible as per government rules,” Bhuse said. He confirmed that a comprehensive report on the issue would be submitted on Friday. Also speaking on the incident to reporters, Deputy Secretary Vipul Mahajan clarified that Afsara Media Entertainment Network had not received any formal approval from the School Education Department or the state government. “There is no evidence available that the private media firm paid money to any schools or used government funds under the ‘Swachhata Monitor’ initiative,” Mahajan said, adding that “the Swachhata Monitor 2023–24 initiative implemented through the private media firm was carried out solely as a social organisation without the consent of the government.” He further stressed that “no information regarding Rohit Arya in this case is related to the government or his activities”. School Education Secretary Ranjit Singh Deol also confirmed there was no agreement to pay Arya Rs 2 crore for his project. “He volunteered for the work and was awarded a certificate for his work. Subsequently, he was in discussions with the state government to implement the ‘My Shala, Sundar Shala’ programme, but that failed to materialise. The Maharashtra government does not owe Rohit Arya any dues,” Deol said. MUMBAI HOSTAGE INCIDENT The incident unfolded at nearly 1.30 pm after the Powai police station received an alert that a person had taken 17 children hostage inside the RA Studio in the Mahavir Classic building. The children, boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 12, had been called to the studio for an audition for a web series that had been ongoing for six days. In a video released before police intervention, hostage-taker Arya explained his motive, claiming he had made a plan to hold the children instead of committing suicide. “I have very simple demands. Very moral, ethical demands. I have some questions,” Arya said, adding, “I want to speak to some people… I want these answers. I am not a terrorist, nor do I have any demand for money.” “(I) want to make simple conversations,” he said, as he issued a stern warning to authorities that “the slightest wrong move from your end may trigger me to set this whole place on fire…. whether I die or not, the children will be unnecessarily hurt, traumatised for sure… I should not be held responsible.” Arya ended by saying that after the “conversations,” he would leave the room and vaguely added that “a lot of people have these problems” and that he would offer a solution through talks, though he never specified what the problems were. According to police, Arya had been conducting auditions for the last six days. Children would be admitted to the studio at 10 in the morning, and given a lunch break before the session ended at 8 in the evening. However, on Thursday, children did not emerge during the lunch break, which made the parents worried. “At about 1.30 pm, Powai police station received information that a person had taken 17 children hostage at the Mahavir Classic building. The Mumbai Police team conducted a rescue operation and safely freed all the children. During the operation, while rescuing the children, the person got injured, was immediately rushed to the hospital and later declared dead,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police Datta Nalawade. Arya was declared dead at 5.15 pm, officials said. According to the police, Arya was carrying an air gun and also some chemicals. Anxious parents waited outside the 10-storey building as the hostage drama unfolded. ALSO READ | Bathroom Entry, 3 Cops, 4 Hours: How ‘Audition’ Turned Into Dramatic Hostage Rescue In Mumbai
