HC admits Gawli's appeal against life term in murder case

The Bombay high court on Friday admitted an appeal filed by gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli against a lower court order sentencing him to life imprisonment for the murder of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar in 2007.

The appeal was admitted by Justice Abhay Oka and Justice S S Jadhav and will come up for hearing in due course.

Gawli contended that the Sessions Court verdict was "bad in law and based on non-application of mind."

On August 24, Gawli, former member of Legislative Assembly, and 11 others were found guilty of murdering Jamsandekar in 2008. According to the chargesheet, a sum of Rs 30 lakh was paid to the Gawli gang for eliminating the Sena corporator over a land deal.

Ten others were also awarded life imprisonment in the case by the special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act court last month.

Gawli has been in custody since his arrest in May 2008. On October 7, 2010, the court had framed charges against Gawli and other accused under MCOCA, sections 302 (murder), 34 (common intention) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC. Gawli and others had pleaded innocence.