MUMBAI, July 15: Underworld don Arun Gawli was today acquitted from all the charges in connection with the murder of builder Natwarlal Desai last year by additional sessions judge S R Jaiswal.Lack of evidence and the prosecution's main witnesses turning hostile led to the acquittal of Gawli. The don was charged in the Desai murder case along with Ganesh Bhosale alias Vakil, Sada Pawle (both dead) and two wanted accused Namdeo alias Namya Hari Patil and Sharad Damodar Banbe. Gawli and his associates were charged with murder and conspiracy. The complainant and main witness, Desai's partner Ramesh Shah, turned hostile. He denied seeing anybody though he admitted he heard some gunshots after he got down from the car. The next minute, who had stepped out from the other side of the car, he saw Desai lying in a pool of blood, Shah stated. Desai was murdered in front of Shanti Star Builders located at Tulsiani Chambers Nariman point on August 19, 1997.
