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Arun Gawli (Gangster) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 3, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth17 July 1955

BirthplaceKopargaon, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, India

ProfessionPolitician

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseAsha Gawli

FamilyFather - Gulabrao; Mother - Lakshmibai; Brother - Bappa Gawli (deceased); Sister - Ashalata Gawli; Children - Geeta, Yogita, Asmita, Mahesh Gawli

Arun Gawli (Gangster) Biography

Arun Gulab Gawli, known widely as "Daddy," is a Maharashtra-based figure who built a public profile that spans organized crime, long periods in custody, a

Early life and background

Arun Gulab Gawli was born on 17 July 1955 in Kopargaon, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. His family moved to Dagdi Chawl in Mumbai in the early 1950s, and he grew up in modest circumstances. Gawli attended City High School and completed education up to the 11th standard. In youth he worked in the mill industry and later held jobs at Godrej and Crompton before becoming involved in street-level organisation and protection work around the Saat Raasta area of Mumbai.

Gawli’s family included his father Gulabrao, who worked in the mill industry, his mother Lakshmibai Gulab Gawli, a brother Bappa Gawli (deceased), and a sister Ashalata Gawli. He married Asha Gawli, who converted to Hinduism before their marriage; the couple have four children named Geeta, Yogita, Asmita and Mahesh Gawli.

Career

During the 1970s, as strikes affected Mumbai’s mills, Arun Gawli became associated with a local group that later became known as the Byculla gang. He worked with figures such as Babu Reshim and Rama Naik and took on protection duties, including earlier assignments that involved handling consignments linked to Dawood Ibrahim.

Through the 1980s and 1990s Gawli’s name became associated with violent conflicts between rival groups. He was arrested in 1986 in connection with the killings of two criminals, and over time was linked to a number of serious incidents and multiple cases registered against him. He spent extended periods in custody, including a nine-year period incarcerated under the TADA Act.

In the early 1990s, after the killing of his brother Bappa, Gawli retaliated against individuals connected to rival interests. By the mid-2000s he had entered electoral politics: in 2004 he founded the Akhil Bhartiya Sena and contested state assembly elections. He won a seat as an MLA from the Dagdi Chawl area of Mumbai.

Legal proceedings continued to shape his public life. In 2007 he was arrested in connection with the murder of a Shiv Sena corporator. In August 2012 a sessions court in Mumbai convicted him under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), sentencing him to life imprisonment and imposing a fine of 17 lakh rupees. The case history recorded many registered cases over decades, and at different times he faced intensive police attention.

Public profile

Gawli is a well-known figure in Mumbai’s underworld and local politics, often referred to by the nickname "Daddy." Physically, he is approximately 165 cm tall and has brown eyes and black hair. He is described as a believer in Lord Ganesha and Lord Krishna and is known to enjoy playing snooker and watching gangster films. Vada pav is noted as a favourite food.

His political activity through the Akhil Bhartiya Sena and his election as an MLA increased his public visibility beyond the criminal cases and periods of imprisonment. The story of his life and conflicts has attracted attention in wider culture; the actor Arjun Rampal portrayed his character in the 2017 film Daddy.

Latest updates

After lengthy periods in prison, significant developments occurred in 2025. The Supreme Court granted him bail on 28 August 2025, observing that he had already spent nearly twenty years in custody; the release was subject to conditions and could be revoked if he violated the terms or faced new charges. On 3 September 2025 he was released from Nagpur Central Jail and flown to Mumbai under security, where he was received at Dagdi Chawl by family, lawyers and supporters.

Career highlights

Gawli founded Akhil Bhartiya Sena in 2004 and was elected MLA from Dagdi Chawl.

He was convicted under MCOCA in 2012 and sentenced to life imprisonment with a fine.

A cinematic portrayal of his life appeared in the 2017 film Daddy, with Arjun Rampal in the title role.

Personal and physical details

Date of birth: 17 July 1955

Height: approximately 165 cm (5'5")

Eye colour: Brown

Hair colour: Black

Religion: Hinduism

Caste: Kshatriya (Ahir)

Latest status

As of early September 2025 he had been released from custody on bail under conditions set by the Supreme Court and returned to Mumbai.
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Recent Work

Daddy (portrayal)

Arjun Rampal portrayed Arun Gawli in the 2017 film Daddy.

2017
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Career Highlights

  1. Founded the Akhil Bhartiya Sena in 2004 and won an assembly seat from Dagdi Chawl.
  2. Convicted under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in 2012 and sentenced to life imprisonment with a fine.
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Arun Gawli (Gangster) born?

17 July 1955

What is Arun Gawli (Gangster) known for?

Politician

What is Arun Gawli (Gangster)’s marital status?

Married

Who is Arun Gawli (Gangster) married to?

Asha Gawli