Powai Hostage-Taker Claimed Govt Owed Him ₹2 Crore; Maharashtra Education Dept Denies Dues

The man shot dead by Mumbai Police after taking 17 children hostage at a Powai audition theatre on Thursday — identified as Rohit Arya — claimed in a video before his death that he acted out of frustration over unpaid government dues amounting to ₹2 crore. The Maharashtra school education department, however, has denied his claims, saying Arya failed to provide documents supporting his payment demands.

Arya, armed with an airgun and an inflammable spray, stormed into RA Studio in Powai’s Mahavir Classic complex, where children had reportedly been called for an audition. The 3.5-hour standoff ended when police rescued all 17 children unharmed and shot Arya dead.

In a video recorded during the siege, Arya said his actions were not intended to harm anyone. “I am not a terrorist. My demands are simple, moral, and ethical,” he said, alleging that the Education Department owed him ₹2 crore for a cleanliness awareness project.

The Background

According to Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar, who served as Maharashtra’s education minister between 2022 and 2024, Arya was appointed to run a Swachhata Monitor cleanliness awareness campaign under the Majhi Shala, Sundar Shala initiative. Kesarkar said Arya had complained that the department withheld payments for his work and that he had personally given Arya some money last year after learning of his financial struggles.

Arya was the Project Director for “Project Let’s Change – PLA Swachhata Monitor,” launched in 2022 by the Primary Education Department. Police said Arya had staged multiple protests in 2024 outside Kesarkar’s official residence and Azad Maidan, alleging the government had used his short films and documentaries without credit or payment.

His Facebook posts frequently referenced the unpaid dues, claiming he had been “wronged” by the system and would “protest indefinitely.”

What the Government Says

The school education department, in a statement issued Thursday, said Arya never submitted the required documentation to justify his payment claims. It alleged Arya’s firm — Apsara Media Entertainment Network — charged registration fees from schools participating in the Swachhata Monitor drive without government approval and failed to provide a detailed budget.

In August 2024, the department instructed Arya to deposit the collected funds into a government account and submit supporting documents before any further action. “Since the requisite information was not provided, no payment could be processed,” the statement said.

Official records show Arya’s firm received ₹9.9 lakh in 2023 for the initiative, which was approved under the state’s Mukhyamantri Majhi Shala Sundar Shala program with a total proposed budget of ₹2 crore. However, the education department said his subsequent proposal for ₹2.41 crore in 2024-25 lacked transparency and documentation.

Authorities also found Arya’s private website collecting “mutual relationship fees” from schools without authorization.

After the Devendra Fadnavis-led NDA government took office last year, the Swachhata Monitor project was discontinued.

Kesarkar’s Response

Speaking after the incident, Deepak Kesarkar confirmed that Arya had approached him several times regarding his payment. “It was revealed he hadn’t submitted the required documents. In government, no department can release funds without bills,” Kesarkar said. “Out of humanity, I paid him some amount personally.”

Kesarkar added that Arya should have sought resolution through official channels instead of resorting to violence.

“He was an educated man and had done good work. But what he did today is unacceptable. Taking children hostage can never be justified,” Kesarkar said.