Supreme Court rejects Arun Gawli’s bail plea

NEW DELHI - The Supreme Court Monday dismissed a petition by Mumbai’s underworld don Arun Gulab Gawli seeking bail in a case under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

A bench of Justice Dalveer Bhandari and Justice Deepak Verma, however, directed the MCOCA trial court to expedite the trial.

The court said that in case, the trial was not completed within six months, then Gawli would be free to move the court for the grant of bail.

Gawli, in his petition before the court, said that he was a victim of political rivalry of the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress with his party, the Akhil Bhartiya Sena.

Tracing the electoral history of his party, Gawli said that he suffered the wrath of his political rivals after he was elected to the Maharashtra assembly from Mumbai South Central constituency.

The instant case against Gawli is rooted in the purchase of a disputed property by him in April 2004.

Gawli had challenged the Bombay High Court verdict by which it had dismissed his plea for the grant of bail.