Karnataka HC Denies Chinese National’s Plea To Return Home, Cites Ongoing Trial

The Karnataka High Court has rejected a plea filed by Hu Xiaolin, a Chinese national accused in the “Power Bank app scam”, seeking permission to travel back to China to visit her ailing father amidst pending trial in India.

Justice M Nagaprasanna, in a single-judge bench, ruled on the grounds that Chinese law prohibits accused individuals from leaving the country until trial completion, emphasizing that Indian laws can’t be relaxed for foreign nationals involved in multiple crimes.

Hu Xiaolin, who allegedly orchestrated scams defrauding customers of crores of rupees in Karnataka and Kerala through loan apps, had earlier married an Indian national and currently resides in Bengaluru. The cases against her were filed by Razorpay Software Private Limited, leading to her arrest and subsequent release on bail under strict conditions barring her from leaving India without court permission.

The court disregarded Xiaolin’s reference to permission granted by the Kerala High Court for travel to China, asserting that it does not influence the current case in Karnataka, citing differences in legal contexts and practices between the two states and countries.

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