In a significant legal development, an engineer who was extradited to India nine years ago and later cleared of all criminal charges is now fighting to return to his home. Kumar Pillai, who identifies as a citizen of Hong Kong, has approached a special court in Mumbai seeking repatriation, arguing that his continued stay in India lacks any legal authorization.
The Legal Plea for Return
Last month, Pillai filed an application before the special court stating that all cases against him have concluded in acquittals. His plea highlights that after being cleared, he was not sent back to Hong Kong and now remains in India without a valid visa or legal status. He has applied to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) for an exit permit and an Indian visa, but approvals are still pending.
The application argues that the police authorities should have initiated repatriation steps after his acquittals. It states that due to this inaction, Pillai has faced considerable hardships. With no other recourse, he has turned to the court, seeking directions for the police to facilitate his return to Hong Kong. The court has now ordered the police to file a reply, and the matter is scheduled for a hearing on December 20, 2025.
From Engineer to Accused: Pillai's Journey
According to police records, Kumar Pillai graduated with a textile engineering degree in the 1980s and lived with his family in Mumbai's eastern suburbs. His father, Krishna Pillai, operated a club and was allegedly murdered over a dispute involving his refusal to sell the establishment to a local politician. Police claimed that Kumar Pillai sought revenge and became associated with the gang led by Amar Naik before leaving India after 2007.
In a poignant moment during his custody handover in Singapore in 2016, Pillai reportedly greeted the Mumbai police team in fluent Marathi, expressing his happiness at finally being able to see his mother.
Extradition and Subsequent Acquittals
Pillai was extradited from Singapore to India in June 2016 to face trial in three cases registered by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch between 2009 and 2013. These included two alleged extortion cases and one case under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
In 2020, a special court acquitted him in the first case, which involved allegations of extorting Rs 75 lakh from a Vikhroli MLA. The court found insufficient evidence for a conviction. In 2022, he was acquitted in the second case, related to a threat call demanding Rs 15 lakh from a builder. Finally, in March 2024, Pillai was acquitted in a third case concerning a shooting at a builder's office in 2009. Across all trials, the courts ruled there was no conclusive evidence proving Pillai was the caller behind the threats.
The Path to Repatriation
Pillai's application details his citizenship shift. He originally held an Indian passport issued in 2007 but later settled in and acquired citizenship of Hong Kong. He frequently traveled to Singapore while residing there. The Indian High Commission in Singapore learned of his travels and requested his arrest and extradition in 2015 for the pending cases in Mumbai.
Following his arrest in Singapore in 2016, a local court ruled on May 19, 2016, that he was liable to be surrendered to India. After the completion of legal procedures, he was handed over to Indian authorities and brought to India on June 26, 2016. Now, nearly a decade later and over a year after his final acquittal, his quest is not for freedom in India, but for the right to return to the country he calls home.
