On Wednesday, Gawli walked out of Nagpur Central Jail after nearly two decades.
After almost 18 years behind bars, underworld don-turned-politician Arun Gawli has been released from prison. The Supreme Court granted him bail in the 2007 murder case of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar.
The top court considered Gawli’s old age—he is now 76—and the long time he has already spent in jail. The judges said that keeping him in prison while his appeal is still pending was no longer necessary.
On Wednesday, Gawli walked out of Nagpur Central Jail after nearly two decades. His family, including his brother and close relatives, were present to receive him.
Security was very tight during his release. An ATS team was deployed inside the jail premises. After his release, Gawli was escorted to Nagpur Airport, from where he flew to Mumbai.
The murder of Kamlakar Jamsandekar in 2007 shocked Mumbai’s political circles. Investigators linked the attack to rivalries involving organized crime and politics.
In 2012, Gawli and eleven others were found guilty. Since then, he has been serving his sentence in Nagpur Central Jail.
The Supreme Court, while granting him bail on August 28, noted that he had already spent 17 years and three months in custody. The bail comes with strict conditions, and the trial court has the authority to cancel it if violated.
In 2017, Bollywood released Daddy, a film based on the life of Arun Gawli, and actor Arjun Rampal played the role of Gawli, which shows his journey from the small lanes of Dagdi Chawl to becoming one of Mumbai's most feared gangsters and later a politician.
ALSO READ: Who is Arun Gawli? Once a Dreaded Don, Now Out on Bail After 18 Years
The movie highlighted his underworld links, family life, and political career, giving viewers a closer look at the man everyone called "Daddy."
Arun Gawli is one of Mumbai’s most well-known underworld figures. He was once feared for running his operations from Dagdi Chawl in Byculla. In the 1980s and 1990s, he was involved in gang wars against rivals, including Dawood Ibrahim’s D-Company.
Later, Gawli entered politics. He founded the Akhil Bharatiya Sena and was elected as an MLA from Mumbai’s Chinchpokli constituency in 2004. He served in the assembly until 2009. His deep ties to both the underworld and politics made him a controversial figure in Maharashtra.
In 2012, a Mumbai Sessions Court convicted him of murder, conspiracy, and extortion in Jamsandekar’s killing. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and fined heavily. The Bombay High Court upheld the verdict in 2019.
Although Gawli has walked free for now, his legal battle is not over. The Supreme Court has listed his appeal for a final hearing in February 2026.
Until then, Gawli will remain on conditional bail. His release has sparked public debate, with many recalling his transformation from a feared gangster to a politician once called “Daddy” by his followers.
