The Bombay High Court’s Nagpur bench has approved a 28-day furlough for Arun Gawli, a former gangster and politician currently serving a life sentence for the 2007 murder of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar. The decision was made by Justices Nitin Sambre and Vrushali Joshi following a petition filed by Gawli for his release on furlough.
Gawli’s legal representation, Mir Nagman Ali, stated that the request was initially denied by the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Prisons, East Division, Nagpur, citing potential law and order risks. However, the court was persuaded by the argument that previous instances of Gawli’s release on furlough did not lead to any law and order disruptions. Additionally, it was noted that the Maharashtra assembly elections had concluded, presumably reducing the risk of political unrest.
The court’s order to release Gawli from Nagpur Central Jail for 28 days comes with stipulated conditions, though specific details of these conditions were not immediately disclosed. The furlough ruling considered the timing of his application and the subsequent changes to parole and furlough rules, which were amended after his furlough request was rejected and thus do not apply to his current situation.
Arun Gawli, known for his rise from the Dagdi Chawl area of Byculla in Mumbai, founded the Akhil Bharatiya Sena and served as an MLA from the Chinchpokli constituency from 2004 to 2009. His criminal and political life has been marked by controversy, culminating in his 2012 life sentence handed down by a Mumbai sessions court for his involvement in the murder of Jamsandekar.
