Extradited for three cases 10 years ago, ‘gangster’ Krishna Pillai sent back to Hong Kong after acquittal | Mumbai News

June 22, 2026 Headlinesnews

3 min readMumbaiUpdated: Jun 22, 2026 06:33 AM IST

Ten years after he was extradited from Singapore to face trial in three criminal cases, India-born alleged gangster Kumar Krishna Pillai has been repatriated to his home country, Hong Kong, it is learnt.

A Mumbai sessions court had on February 13 directed police to send Pillai back to Hong Kong, noting that he could not be kept in India after being acquitted in the three specific cases for which he had been extradited.

Sources said that after being informed he could leave the country on his own, Pillai returned to Hong Kong Thursday.

Born and brought up in the Vikhroli suburb of Mumbai, Pillai left India in 1997 and later obtained Hong Kong citizenship. He was arrested in Singapore in 2016 and extradited to India on June 26 that year to face three cases pending before the Mumbai Police crime branch.

Two of these cases, filed in 2009, related to alleged extortion bids; the third was filed in 2013 for attempted murder. In one of the cases, he also faced the stringent charge under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act.

Acquitted in all three cases in 2020, 2022 and 2024, Pillai had approached a special court in Mumbai last November, stating he was not required in India and should be allowed to return to Hong Kong as he is a citizen of that country.

“After being acquitted in all the cases, the applicant (Pillai) was not repatriated to Hong Kong and continues 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 a valid Indian visa for entering but the same is not yet being approved…,” his application before the special court had said.

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Following the session court’s February 13 order directing Pillai’s repatriation, Mumbai Police obtained an open-ended warrant against him in another pending case. However, the court cancelled it on February 23, noting he cannot be tried for cases for which approval has not been taken from the authorities in Singapore.

“The Extradition Treaty and Extradition Decree need to be honoured. Therefore, considering legal aspects and the Extradition Decree and facts and circumstances of the case, it is necessary to cancel the Open Dated Arrest Warrant issued against the applicant,” the court said on February 23.

According to police, Pillai was allegedly initiated into the underworld after he was arrested in connection with the murder of a local corporator to avenge his father’s death. His father, Krishna Pillai, ran a club and was murdered over a dispute, allegedly stemming from his refusal to sell his establishment to a local politician. Kumar was a student of automobile engineering at that time.

Police claimed Pillai had a gang influential in the eastern suburbs of the city. However, he was cleared of all charges.

Sadaf Modak is a distinguished Legal Correspondent based in Mumbai whose work demonstrates exceptional Expertise and Authority in covering the intricacies of the judicial and correctional systems. Reporting for The Indian Express, she is a highly Trustworthy source for in-depth coverage of courtroom proceedings and human rights issues.
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