Nagpur: The Supreme Court on Thursday granted bail to gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli and others convicted in the 2007 murder of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar. The court directed their release, with specific bail conditions to be decided by the trial court, after which Gawli will walk out of Nagpur Central Jail.

Once one of Mumbai’s most dreaded underworld dons, Gawli was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2012 for the corporator’s killing, marking his first conviction despite decades of criminal allegations. Popularly known as “Daddy” in Dagdi Chawl, he later entered politics by forming the Akhil Bharatiya Sena.

Inside Nagpur Central Jail, Gawli maintained a low-profile inmate record. Jail officials revealed that he was granted 14 to 15 paroles and furloughs, during which he remained disciplined and engaged in assigned prison work.

In 2018, he made headlines for an unusual reason—scoring 74 out of 80 and topping an exam on Gandhian thoughts, conducted by NGOs Sahyog Trust, Sarvodaya Ashram, and Mumbai Sarvodaya Mandal. Among 160 inmates, Gawli stood out, earning a certificate and Khadi clothes as a prize.

With his release on bail, Gawli’s journey—from underworld don to Gandhi exam topper and low-profile prisoner—once again comes into public spotlight.