New Delhi, Sep 3: Underworld don and former legislator Arun Gawli walked out of Nagpur Central Jail on Wednesday after the Supreme Court granted him bail, nearly 18 years after his conviction in the sensational murder case of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar.

The 73-year-old gangster-turned-politician had been serving a life sentence in Nagpur jail since 2012, when a Mumbai sessions court held him guilty in connection with the 2007 murder of Jamsandekar. Gawli was found guilty of orchestrating the killing, which was linked to political rivalries in Mumbai’s civic body.

While granting bail, the Supreme Court noted that Gawli had already served 18 years behind bars and was advanced in age.

These two grounds formed the basis of the apex court’s order allowing his release. Arun Gawli, once a prominent underworld figure in Mumbai, rose to political prominence in the early 2000s.

In 2004, he was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Byculla constituency.

His influence, however, was marred by allegations of criminal activity. In March 2007, Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar was shot dead outside his residence in Mumbai. Investigators later linked the murder to Gawli’s gang, alleging it was carried out at his behest. The trial concluded in 2012 with the sessions court sentencing him to life imprisonment.

He was subsequently transferred to Nagpur Central Jail, where he remained until his bail was granted. Known as the ‘Daddy’ of Dagdi Chawl, Gawli’s journey from the underworld to the legislative assembly captured headlines for decades.

His bail release after nearly two decades is expected to spark fresh debate over his role in Mumbai’s political and criminal landscape.

For now, the Supreme Court’s decision has paved the way for Gawli to walk free, closing another chapter in one of Mumbai’s most high-profile crime sagas.

(IANS)

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