Mumbai: Underworld don-turned-politician Arun Gawli, who is currently serving a life sentence for the 2008 murder of Shiv Sena leader Kamlakar Jamsandekar, was acquitted on Wednesday in a separate 2008 extortion case by a special MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) court. Despite the acquittal, Gawli will continue to remain behind bars at Nagpur Central Jail due to his conviction in the murder case.
Alongside Gawli, his younger brother Vijay Ahir and five other gang members were also acquitted in the extortion case. Of the nine accused in the case, one passed away during the trial, while another turned approver for the prosecution. However, the court observed that the prosecution had failed to establish extortion charges against Gawli and the others.
Judge B.D. Shelke, presiding over the special MCOCA court, noted in the judgment that the prosecution’s evidence lacked credibility and failed to meet the burden of proof necessary to convict the accused. As a result, the court ruled that the charges under MCOCA could not be applied to Gawli or his co-accused, and they were acquitted of all charges.
Will Daddy Walk Free Out Of Jail?
Despite this legal relief, Gawli, also known as Daddy, remains imprisoned for life in connection with the politically charged murder of Kamlakar Jamsandekar, which was seen as a contract killing allegedly involving underworld links.
On February 20, the Supreme Court declined to grant bail to Arun Gawli, who is currently serving a life sentence in a high-profile murder case. Gawli had sought release on the grounds of fulfilling the criteria outlined in the 2006 remission policy.
Gawli, convicted for orchestrating the 2007 murder of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar in Mumbai, argued that he had met all the conditions required for remission of his sentence. However, a bench comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and K Vinod Chandran chose not to intervene in the Bombay High Court’s earlier decision, which had also rejected his bail plea.
Bail To Dawood Ibrahim’s Aide
In a related development, the Bombay High Court granted bail to Tariq Parvin, a known aide of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, in a separate 2020 extortion case. Parvin had been incarcerated in Taloja Jail for over five years. His legal team argued that the trial showed no signs of concluding soon, and prolonged detention without conviction amounted to punishment without trial.
The court accepted the argument, highlighting the fundamental legal principle of ‘innocent until proven guilty.’ Noting that Parvin was booked under MCOCA and several sections of the Indian Penal Code, the court said that while he may still face punishment if proven guilty later, the extended pre-trial detention warranted relief. Hence, bail was granted.
