Gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli approaches HC for furlough

Gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli seeks furlough from prison, denied due to concerns over his influence in upcoming Maharashtra elections.

MUMBAI: Incarcerated gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli, serving a life sentence at Nagpur Central Prison, has approached the Bombay High Court seeking furlough after his initial application was denied by the deputy inspector general (prisons). Sources indicate that the decision to deny furlough stemmed from concerns about Gawli’s potential influence on the Maharashtra assembly election on November 20.

Gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli approaches HC for furlough

Furlough, a temporary release granted to long-term prisoners as a reward for good behaviour and to enable family and social ties, is typically given for a brief period ranging from days to weeks. Gawli, who has been in prison for approximately 14 years, filed for furlough in August 2024, but his application was rejected by prison authorities in October. The petition, filed by Gawli’s legal team comprising Mir Nagman Ali, Gulafshan Ansari, and Shoeb Khan, claims that the decision was influenced by political considerations, particularly given Geeta Gawli’s potential candidacy in Byculla, where she has contested previously.

On Monday, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court issued a notice to the jailor, requesting an official explanation for the denial and scheduling a hearing in two weeks.

Gawli, a former underworld figure, rose to political prominence by founding the Akhil Bharatiya Sena (ABS) after his 2008 conviction for the murder of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar. In 2004, he was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from the Chinchpokli constituency (now Byculla).

Geeta Gawli, his daughter and a former ABS corporator, is reportedly in talks with the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction to contest from the Byculla constituency. In the 2014 assembly election, Geeta narrowly lost to AIMIM’s Waris Pathan by 4,419 votes, while in 2019, Shiv Sena opted to field Yamini Jadhav, who won the seat. With Jadhav now aligned with the Shinde faction, Shiv Sena (UBT) appears eager to endorse Geeta to strengthen its presence in the area.