Nagpur: The Supreme Court has granted four weeks parole to underworld don Arun Gawli, who was already out on parole awarded by the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court. The gangster, who was convicted for ex-MLA Kamalakar Jamsandekar’s murder along with 11 others, was awarded rigorous life imprisonment in 2012. He is lodged in Central Jail in Nagpur.
Nagpur-based lawyer Mir Nagman Ali said Gawli’s parole was coming to an end on November 18, but with the apex court’s directives, it would be extended by a month. Ali said the Dagdi Chawl resident has never jumped parole or furlough before and has always returned on a specified date.
After his conviction for the Jamsandekar’s killing was upheld by the Bombay High Court in 2019, the don moved the apex court in 2020, challenging HC’s verdict along with his accomplices by filing a special leave petition which is pending.
“The State of Maharashtra and its authorities are directed to release all the petitioners on parole for a period of four weeks subject to such terms and conditions as may be imposed upon them. If any petitioner is already on parole, his parole shall stand extended for a period of four weeks from Monday,” a division bench of Justices Surya Kant and Dipankar Datta said before adjourning the hearing till February 27, next year.
Gawli was awarded life imprisonment by a sessions court in Mumbai on August 3, 2012 along with 11 others for murdering the Shiv Sena’s ex-MLA. A special MCOCA court while pronouncing the judgement had also imposed a fine of Rs 17 lakh on him. Last year, he had sought emergency parole for his son Yogesh’s wedding and then furlough for meeting his ailing wife. The jail authorities here always opposed any leave to him citing possibilities of law and order situation in Mumbai, but he gets it based on his record of returning before the deadline.
The gangster has also filed a petition for early release from jail before the High Court in Nagpur.
