Nagpur: Gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli, popularly known as ‘Daddy’, stepped out of Nagpur Central Jail on Wednesday afternoon after spending more than 17 years behind bars. The 70-year-old walked free around 12:30 pm following a Supreme Court order granting him bail in the 2007 murder of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar.
Shortly after his release, Gawli was spotted at Nagpur airport preparing to fly back to Mumbai. Videos circulating online showed him almost unrecognisable — sporting a long white beard and visibly heavier after years in prison. Sources suggest his first stop in Mumbai could be the iconic Dagdi Chawl in Byculla, once his stronghold.
The Supreme Court bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh, while granting bail on August 28, noted Gawli’s advanced age, deteriorating health, and prolonged confinement. The court also pointed out that his appeal had been pending for over 17 years and listed it for a final hearing in February 2026.
Arun Gawli, who was arrested in 2006 under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), was convicted in 2012 and sentenced to life imprisonment for orchestrating Jamsandekar’s killing. Over the years, the case has seen several twists — including a Bombay High Court order in June 2024 directing his premature release, which was later challenged by the Maharashtra government.
In his petition, Gawli argued that the government’s refusal to grant him early release was “arbitrary and unjust.” While the apex court did not rule on that claim, it granted him conditional bail considering his age and the unusually long delay in deciding his appeal.
