A special court designated under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA) on Saturday permitted the plea of gangster Kumar Pillai to visit his bedridden mother at home for an hour on Monday.
Special Judge RR Bhosale noted in his order while allowing the plea, that Pillai had been allowed to meet his mother on two previous occasions and that as per the medical certificate issued by his mother’s treating doctor, her condition is deteriorating. “The health of the applicant’s mother is seriously hampered which would be obviously a cause of concern for the applicant,” the court stated.
On 2 July, Pillai’s bail application was rejected by the court. The same day, he made the plea to visit his residence to see his mother. The Taloja jail, where he is lodged, opposed the plea on Friday on grounds of the pandemic and said that he can be allowed to speak on phone.
On Saturday, Pillai’s advocate sought an urgent order on the plea though it was scheduled for hearing next week, telling the court that his mother’s condition is worsening.
The court noted that as per Pillai’s advocate’s submission, his mother could barely speak and hence the protest of the prison authority to allow telephonic communication is not sustainable.
Pillai has been directed by the court to pay the escort charges for the visit for which the jail is supposed to make arrangements.
Pillai, is in custody since 2016 in the a 2009 case of an attempted extortion of Rs. 50 lakhs and attempt to murder of a Vikroli builder. He had been allowed to meet his mother in January this year too. Other accused in the case, who had allegedly worked at his behest had stood trial and were convicted, while Pillai was among the absconding accused then. He was taken in custody after being extradited from Singapore in 2016 and a supplementary chargesheet was filed against him.
