The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken its stance to the Delhi High Court, challenging a recent trial court order that directed the release of three individuals, including the interim CEO of Chinese smartphone giant VIVO, in connection with a money laundering case.
The Delhi High Court’s vacation judge has scheduled the matter for Wednesday, seeking a review of the trial court’s decision. The ED contends that the release order, which includes VIVO’s interim CEO Hong Xuquan, Chief Financial Officer Harinder Dahiya, and consultant Hemant Munjal, needs reconsideration.
The trial court’s decision, issued last week, was based on the accused not being presented before the court within 24 hours of their arrest, deeming their custody “illegal.” The accused had challenged the timing of their arrest, claiming it occurred on December 21, contrary to the ED’s recorded date of December 22.
Advocates Manish Jain and Simon Benjamin represent the Enforcement Directorate in the case, while Senior Advocates Siddharth Aggarwal and Arvind Nayyar defend the accused. The legal battle adds complexity to a case that saw the arrest of four individuals, including a Chinese national and the MD of Lava International, back in October.
The ED’s arrests in October included Hong Xuquan alias Terry, interim CEO of VIVO India; Harinder Dahiya, Chief Financial Officer of VIVO India; and Hemant Munjal, VIVO’s consultant. The case involves charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) related to VIVO and implicates Chinese national Guangwen Kuang, Lava International’s MD Hariom Rai, Nitin Garg, and Rajan Malik.
The legal proceedings continue, adding another layer of complexity to the high-profile money laundering case involving the Chinese mobile company VIVO.