Mumbai: Arun Gawli, the gangster-turned-politician famously known as ‘Daddy,’ was released from Nagpur Central Jail on Wednesday after serving over 17 years in prison. His release came following a Supreme Court order granting him bail in a 2007 murder case involving the killing of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar. The 70-year-old walked out of prison around 12:30 pm after completing legal formalities.

Shortly after his release, Gawli was seen at Nagpur airport preparing to leave for Mumbai. In videos circulating online, he appeared almost unrecognisable with a white beard and noticeable weight gain over the years in jail. He is expected to visit Dagdi Chawl in Mumbai’s Byculla later in the evening.

The Supreme Court bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and N. Kotiswar Singh granted bail on August 28, considering Gawli’s long confinement and advanced age. The court noted that his appeal in the case had been pending for more than 17 years and scheduled the matter for final hearing in February 2026.

Gawli was booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in connection with the 2007 murder. Arrested in 2006, he was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Mumbai Sessions Court in August 2012. Over the years, the case witnessed several legal developments, including a June 2024 Supreme Court stay on a Bombay High Court order granting his premature release, which had been contested by the Maharashtra government.

In his petition, Gawli had argued that the state’s refusal to grant premature release was arbitrary and unfair. While the Supreme Court did not rule on the merits of that claim, it took into account his prolonged imprisonment, health concerns, and age before granting conditional bail.