Vivo-India case: ED makes 3 fresh arrests in money laundering probe against Chinese phone maker

The Enforcement Directorate has made three fresh arrests in the money laundering case against Vivo-India and others.

Published on: Dec 23, 2023, 15:16:09 IST

By HT News Desk

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Trouble seems to be mounting for Vivo-India as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) made three fresh arrests in connection with its money laundering probe against the Chinese smartphone maker, reported PTI citing sources.

ED had made fresh arrests in the money laundering case against Vivo India.

The three have been taken into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said. The identity of the three people was not known immediately.

The federal agency earlier arrested four in the case including mobile company Lava International's MD Hari Om Rai, Chinese national Guangwen alias Andrew Kuang and chartered accountants Nitin Garg and Rajan Malik. They are in judicial custody.

A charge sheet was filed by the Enforcement Directorate against these people recently before a special PMLA court in Delhi and the court took its cognisance recently.

ED filed the charge sheet against Vivo-India in the money laundering case on December 7 where the Chinese smartphone maker was listed as the prime accused in the case.

Vivo siphoned $13 billion abroad: ED

In October, the Enforcement Directorate told a court in New Delhi that Vivo had siphoned off $13 billion by hiding their profits for several months. The agency also said that many people affiliated with Vivo concealed their employment while seeking visas for India.

ED said during court proceedings that some employees of Vivo breached rules by visiting the “sensitive" Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir.

At least 30 Chinese individuals entered India on business visas and worked as Vivo employees, but their application forms “never disclosed" that the firm was their employer, ED said as quoted by Reuters.

“Various Chinese nationals have been traveling across India, including sensitive places of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, in gross violation of Indian visa conditions,” the agency said.

(With inputs from PTI, Reuters)

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