Jaydeep Apte, the sculptor responsible for the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue that collapsed in Sindhudurg, was arrested in Kalyan after evading authorities for over a week. The collapse, which occurred less than nine months after its inauguration, has spurred significant political controversy ahead of Maharashtra's assembly elections. Opposition parties have accused the ruling government of corruption, alleging that only Rs 1.5 crore was spent on the statue despite Rs 236 crore being allocated. Apte and structural consultant Chetan Patil, who was arrested earlier, face charges of negligence and other offenses. BJP leader Pravin Darekar defended the government's handling of the situation, while Shiv Sena and Congress leaders criticized the delayed arrest and the awarding of the contract to the inexperienced Apte. A joint technical committee has been formed to investigate the site and materials used in the statue's construction.