High Court admits Arun Gawli’s plea against life term.

The Bombay High Court on Friday admitted an appeal filed by gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli challenging his conviction for the murder of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar.

On August 31,Gawli was sentenced to life imprisonment by a special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court after it held him guilty of murdering the corporator over a land deal. The former MLA and 10 others had killed Jamsandekar in 2008. According to the chargesheet,Rs 30 lakh was paid to the Gawli gang for carrying out the crime.

Gawli is 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) under the Indian Penal Court. There are other cases of extortion pending against Gawli.