Supreme Court grants bail to 'gangster' Arun Gawli in Shiv Sena corporator murder case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday granted bail to 'gangster' and former Maharashtra MLA, Arun Gawli and others in a 2007 case related to murder of Mumbai Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar.

A bench of Justice M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh allowed him bail after noting a submission on his behalf that he has been in jail for the last 18 years.

"We have been informed that the appellants have been incarcerated for nearly 18 years. Taking into consideration that the appellants have been incarcerated for a period of almost 18 years, we are inclined to grant bail to them," the bench said.

Accordingly, court directed for release of the appellants on bail, during the pendency of the appeals, on such terms and conditions as may be imposed by the trial court.

The court fixed the appeal for consideration in the month of February, 2026.

However, the bench granted liberty to the respondents State to file an appropriate application for cancellation of bail, if the appellants were found to be violating either the conditions imposed by the trial court or are found to be involved in any other offence.

On July 31, 2024, the court made absolute its June 3, 2024 order, which stayed the operation of the April 5, 2024 order of the Bombay High Court's Nagpur bench.

The high court had directed concerned authorities to consider Gawli's application for premature release under the 2006 remission policy.

The Maharashtra government opposed it as Gawli faced over 46 cases, including around 10 cases of murder, against him. It said under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), convicts had to undergo imprisonment for at least 40 years for remission in terms of the 2015 policy.

Gawli's counsel said since her client was convicted in 2009, and the 2006 policy will apply, which allowed remission on account of age and infirmity.

Gawli, now 73, was undergoing life imprisonment for the 2007 murder of Mumbai Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar.