Activist seeks probe into ‘fake encounter of Rohit Arya to cover up Government’s failures’

Social activist and advocate Nitin Satpute is set to file a writ petition in the Bombay High Court seeking an independent investigation into the death of Rohit Arya, who was killed by police on Thursday while he was allegedly holding school children hostage.

On Friday (October 31, 2025), Satpute wrote to the Chief Justice of India, the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court, the Human Rights Commission, the Director General of Police, and the Central Bureau of Investigation, calling the incident a “fake encounter” and accusing the State government of endangering lives to cover up administrative failures.

In his letter, Satpute alleged that Arya was driven to desperation because the Maharashtra government owed him ₹2 crore. “The encounter was carried out to conceal the failure of the state police machinery under pressure. Why was Rohit shot in the chest and not in the legs? The government is solely responsible for the kidnapping of 19 minors and two adults,” he wrote.

Arya, who ran Apsara Media Entertainment Network, had implemented the Swachhta Monitor initiative under the School Education Department’s ‘Majhi Shala, Sundar Shala’ scheme. According to a government resolution dated January 25, 2024, Arya’s project involved over 64,000 schools and 59 lakh students. Despite initial approvals and partial payments, the second phase of the initiative was stalled, and Arya’s proposal for ₹2.41 crore remained under consideration. 

Minister for School Education Dada Bhuse confirmed that a report has been sought on Arya’s work. Former minister Deepak Kesarkar admitted to offering Arya financial help after he held protests against non-payment, including hunger strikes in Nagpur, Azad Maidan, and outside the minister’s residence. 

Final act of desperation

Arya’s final act, holding children hostage in a studio, was reportedly a desperate attempt to compel the government to release his dues. He had initially planned to die by suicide, but later changed course, hoping the hostage situation would draw attention to his plight. The incident has drawn comparisons to the film A Thursday, where a teacher holds children hostage to demand justice, the letter said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi condemned Arya’s actions but questioned the government’s role in pushing him to the brink. “He had unpaid dues for several months and staged multiple protests. The government must explain why it ignored his repeated pleas,” she said. 

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar highlighted the broader issue of unpaid contractor bills, alleging that over ₹80,000 crore is pending. “Are we waiting for contractors to take extreme steps and then be encountered?” he asked. 

Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar questioned the government’s decision to entrust Arya with a key role despite claims of mental illness. “If he was mentally ill, why was he appointed as cleanliness monitor? The government must take responsibility,” he said. 

Satpute has demanded that officers involved in the encounter, Deputy Commissioner of Police Datta Nalavalde, Senior Police Inspector Jitendra Sonawane, and Assistant Police Inspector Amol Waghmare, be booked for murder. “The police lacked the training to capture him alive. They acted to gain popularity, emulating encounter specialists like Sharma, Naik, Salaskar, Angre, and Bhosle,” he alleged. 

The petition is expected to be filed next week.