‘Gangster’ Pillai acquitted in case over shooting at builder’s office

This is the third and last case since his return in which Pillai was charged and acquitted.

He was currently out on bail.

On November 7, 2009, one man was booked for allegedly entering the building premises of Lodha Developers in Kanjur Marg, in the eastern suburbs of the city.

The man then shot at the guard but he ducked and saved himself. The man, while leaving also left a chit, which said “tere Seth ko phone karne ko bol (ask your boss to call)”. A phone number was also given in the chit.

The police booked five men and also named Pillai as an absconding accused claiming that the threat was given to the builder in order to extort money.

In 2013, the court acquitted five men, including the alleged shooter, finding no evidence that there was a conspiracy to extort the builder.

The trial against Pillai and one Bhaskar Pujari was separated, as they were not caught at the time and were declared wanted accused.

Lawyer Rounak Naik, representing the two men, had submitted that there was no evidence to prove that the chit referred to in the case had anything to do with Pillai.

He submitted that while the prosecution had said that the chit also mentioned one Kumar Bhai, no evidence was brought to show that it was Pillai.

He also said that the prosecution had not submitted the extradition order of Pillai from the time when he was brought to the country from Singapore under a treaty.

Pillai was acquitted in cases including extortion in 2020 and 2022.