NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday in its order granted bail to gangster-turned-politician and former Maharashtra MLA, Arun Gawli, who is serving life imprisonment in a murder case, after noting that he has been incarcerated for nearly 18 years.
"Taking into consideration that the appellants (Arun Gawli and others) have been incarcerated for a period of almost 18 years, we are inclined to grant bail to them. Accordingly, the appellants are directed to be released on bail, during the pendency of the appeals, on such terms and conditions as may be imposed by the Trial Court," said a two-judge bench of the top court, headed by Justice M M Sundresh and Justice N Kotiswar Singh, in the order on August 28, Thursday.
Gawli, 73, is undergoing life imprisonment for the 2007 murder of Mumbai Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar.
The top court, however, granted liberty to the respondents (State and probe agency) to file an appropriate application for cancellation of the appellant's bail, if the same persons were found to be violating either the conditions imposed by the Trial Court or are found to be involved in any other offence.
The court fixed the appeal for consideration in February, 2026, said, the order.
Opposing the bail of Gawli, the Maharashtra government argued that he was facing over 46 cases, including around 10 cases of murder. 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 -- strongly making a case for bail -- said since her client was convicted in 2009, the 2006 policy will apply, which allowed remission on account of age and infirmity.