Vivo Top Officials Ordered By Delhi High Court To Stay In India, Present Before ED Twice A Week In Money Laundering Case

The Delhi High Court has instructed the defendants in the Vivo money laundering case to remain within the country and provide a formal promise to that effect. They are also required to present themselves to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) every Monday and Friday until the next hearing, scheduled for 11 January.

This action comes as the ED appealed to the Delhi High Court, contesting the trial court's decision to release the three defendants, which include the interim CEO of Chinese smartphone manufacturer Vivo, among others implicated in a money laundering case, Economic Times reported.

Last week, the trial court granted the petition submitted by Hong Xuquan, the interim CEO of VIVO India, Harinder Dahiya, the CFO of Vivo India, and Hemant Munjal, a consultant for VIVO. They had contested their arrest and subsequent detention in a case of money laundering. The court ordered their immediate release.

The trio who were apprehended asserted that their arrest on 21 December was unlawful, and they submitted an application to contest it. Following the end of their custodial remand, they were presented to the trial court on 30 December. The ED then requested their judicial custody.

The Patiala House Court in Delhi recently acknowledged a prosecution complaint, or chargesheet, submitted by the ED. This is in relation to a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), involving the Chinese mobile company Vivo. The case implicates Chinese national Guangwen Kuang, the Managing Director of Lava International, Hariom Rai, along with Nitin Garg and Rajan Malik, all under various sections of the Money Laundering Act.

The ED chargesheet also listed Vivo India as a defendant in the case.