Open-ended warrant cancelled against Hong Kong’s Kumar Pillai in 2007 extortion case

Mumbai: A special court on Monday cancelled the open-ended warrant issued against alleged gangster Kumar Krishnan Pillai in connection with a two-decade-old extortion case.Last week, Pillai's lawyer apprised the special judge R B Rote about another court's order directing his repatriation to Hong Kong. On Feb 13, the court had ruled that he cannot be tried for any additional crimes in India following his acquittal in three specific cases for which he was originally extradited.
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. He was acquitted in the three cases, hence, he sought to be sent back. Allowing Pillai's plea, on Feb 13, special judge Satyanarayan R Navander had 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.Last month, special judge R B Rote 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. The prosecution argued 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 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 cases, the Singaporean court granted permission for trial in only three. All three 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 continued 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".