HC upholds life term for gangster Arun Gawli in murder case

Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, December 9

The Bombay High Court on Monday upheld the conviction and life imprisonment granted to gangster Arun Gawli for the murder of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandikar under the tough Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act.

Judges BP Dharmadhikari and Swapna Joshi who heard Gawli’s appeal against his conviction by a Special MCOCA court in 2012 also upheld the sentence against four others who were also convicted with the gangster. 

However, their conviction under the MCOCA was quashed by the High Court.

Jamsandekar was shot dead in March 2007 in Mumbai’s suburb of Ghatkopar. According to the chargesheet filed in the case, Gawli was paid Rs 30 lakh by Sahebrao Bhintade and Bala Surve who were Jamsandekar’s business and political rivals.

Gawli, who became an MLA in 2004, was arrested in May 2008 and has been in jail since. 

His lawyer Sudat Patil told reporters here that the gangster’s conviction and sentence would be appealed before higher courts.