Personally paid Rohit Arya money: Former Maha minister on Mumbai hostage accused

Deepak Kesarkar claimed that Arya had also staged a protest outside his home demanding payment.

Earlier in the day, former state school education minister Deepak Kesarkar said he had given some money to Rohit Arya after he complained that the department had defaulted on a payment due to him.

Deepak Kesarkar said he had given some money to Rohit Arya. (Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo)

Kesarkar said he convened a meeting with department officials after Arya raised the matter. “It was revealed that he hadn’t submitted the required documents. In government, no department can release funds without proper bills. He was demanding payment without documentation and refused to listen to officials. Finally, out of humanity, I paid him some amount from my personal account,” said the Shiv Sena leader, who was state education minister from 2022 to 2024.

Kesarkar claimed that Arya had also staged a protest outside his home demanding payment. “He should have sorted it out with the department instead of taking children hostage,” he said.