Mumbai: A special court on Friday ordered the repatriation of alleged gangster Kumar Krishnan Pillai to Hong Kong, ruling that he cannot be tried for any additional crimes in India following his acquittal in three specific cases for which he was originally extradited.
Allowing Pillai's plea, special judge Satyanarayan R Navander said, "The commissioner of police, Mumbai, shall take necessary steps for repatriation of the applicant, namely Kumar Krishnan Pillai, to his home country, Hong Kong, and shall report compliance to this court within a period of one month." The detailed order was made available on Monday.
On Monday, Pillai's lawyer also moved another court where one of the other matters (not included in the extradition proceedings) against him was pending. The lawyer apprised the judge about Friday's order. Last month that court had issued an open-dated arrest warrant against "alleged gang leader" Pillai in connection with a 2007 shooting that left one man dead and another seriously injured.
While Pillai had previously been extradited from Singapore a decade ago to face charges in three other cases, police recently discovered that he remained a "wanted" accused in a 2007 case involving charges of murder and attempted murder. The prosecution argued that Pillai's arrest is needed for further investigation. It was also submitted that because he has ties abroad, a formal proposal must be made to the govt of Singapore. The process to extradite him began soon after the detention. A police team visited Singapore with a dossier on Pillai — a record of his fingerprints, list of his crimes and other evidence to be presented before a court. In May 2016, a police team visited Chennai to get information about Pillai's relatives in the southern city. This information, said the police, was also sent to the Singaporean court. Pillai's mother runs a school in Vikhroli which her husband had started.
Pillai, a textile engineer, allegedly fled the country in the mid-1990s and was detained by the Singapore police in Jan 2016. The 48-year-old former resident of Vikhroli who later acquired Hong Kong citizenship was arrested following a red corner notice. While Indian authorities had sought his extradition for six pending cases, the Singaporean court granted permission for trial in only three. Following his arrival in India, trials were conducted for those specific matters, all of which resulted in his acquittal. Despite this, the prosecution opposed his return, citing several other pending criminal cases and non-bailable warrants. Rejecting the prosecution's objections, the court noted that the purpose of the extradition has been exhausted. It was observed that the prosecution had not obtained permission from the authorities in Hong Kong or Singapore to try Pillai for any other offences.
In Nov 2025, Pillai moved court seeking directions to compel the police machinery to take appropriate steps for his repatriation to Hong Kong. Pillai submitted that despite being cleared of the charges for which he was brought to India, he is being held in a legal limbo, unable to leave the country, yet possessing no valid visa or legal status to remain.
"After being acquitted in all the cases, the applicant (Pillai) was not repatriated to Hong Kong and continue to stay in India with no status in India or visa for stay in India. The applicant states that he had applied with the FRRO (Foreigners Regional Registration Office) for exit from the country as well as for valid Indian visa for entering but the same is not yet being approved. It is submitted that it was expected that after he was acquitted of all cases for which he was extradited from Singapore, the concerned police authorities ought to have taken steps to repatriate him to his home nation but despite the same, he continues to be in India," the plea said.
It was further submitted "that the current status of the applicant is not been authorised by any provision of law and due to inaction by the police machinery, the applicant had to face several hardships".
Armed with a degree in political science and law, Rebecca Samerve...
Read MoreArmed with a degree in political science and law, Rebecca Samervel waltzed into journalism after a brief stint in modeling. As a reporter at The Times of India, Mumbai, she covers courts. She is a self-confessed food-a-holic. Travelling, politics and television are her passions. If you want to find her during the week the only place to look is the Bombay high court.
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