The Bombay High Court has granted bail to sculptor Jaideep Apte, who was arrested in connection with the collapse of a Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Malvan.
The court ruled that the investigation in the case had been completed and that Apte’s continued custody was no longer necessary.
Justice Nitin Borkar, who led the bench, stated that the charge of attempted murder could not be applied, as no injuries were reported in the incident. The statue, located at Rajkot Fort in Malvan, collapsed on August 26, 2024, just eight months after it was installed, sparking widespread outrage across Maharashtra. Investigations revealed that the statue’s construction was subpar.
Two individuals were arrested in connection with the incident, one of whom, Chetan Patil, had already been granted bail by the High Court. On Friday, the court granted bail to Apte, the second accused in the case.
During the court proceedings, Apte’s lawyer argued that the sculptor had taken a loan of Rs 40 lakh for materials needed for the statue’s construction as per the terms of the tender. The defense questioned why Apte would intentionally cause the statue to collapse, emphasizing that the complaint did not mention any injuries from the incident.
An expert committee, appointed by the state’s public works department, had investigated the incident, and the findings were submitted to the court by the prosecution. Despite this, the court granted bail, noting that the charges did not align with the circumstances and that no injuries had occurred during the incident.
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