Gangster-turned-Politician Arun Gawli Granted Furlough by Bombay High Court

The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has approved a 28-day furlough for Arun Gawli, a gangster-turned-politician serving a life sentence for the 2007 murder of a Shiv Sena corporator. The furlough was granted after considering that Gawli's earlier releases did not cause law and order issues.

The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has granted a 28-day furlough to former gangster turned politician Arun Gawli, who is serving a life sentence for the murder of a Shiv Sena corporator in 2007. The decision was made by a division bench of Justices Nitin Sambre and Vrushali Joshi on Tuesday.

Despite the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Prisons' initial rejection due to potential law and order concerns, the court accepted Gawli's plea. His lawyer argued that past furloughs had not caused disruptions and highlighted that Maharashtra assembly elections had ended, minimizing political tensions.

Gawli's release will be subject to certain conditions as stipulated by the court. A prominent figure, Gawli founded the Akhil Bharatiya Sena and represented Chinchpokli in Mumbai as an MLA from 2004-2009. He has been serving his sentence since August 2012 for the murder of Kamlakar Jamsandekar.

(With inputs from agencies.)