The Supreme Court on Thursday granted bail to gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli, who is serving a life sentence in the 2007 murder of Mumbai Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar, noting his prolonged incarceration and advanced age.
A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and N. Kotiswar Singh observed that Gawli, aged 76, has been behind bars for more than 17 years, while his appeal against conviction remains pending before the apex court.
“Admittedly, the appellant has been under incarceration for 17 years and three months. We also take note of the fact that he is 76 years old,” the bench remarked while granting bail, subject to conditions imposed by the trial court.
The Supreme Court also listed the matter for final hearing in February 2026.
Gawli and his associates were arrested in 2006 in connection with the murder of Jamsandekar, who was shot dead at his residence in March 2007. The sessions court in Mumbai convicted Gawli in August 2012, sentencing him to life imprisonment and imposing a fine of ₹17 lakh.
His conviction was later upheld by the Bombay High Court on December 9, 2019, prompting him to move the Supreme Court in appeal.
