ED files charge sheet against Vivo

The Enforcement (ED) has filed a Directorate charge sheet in its money laundering probe against Chinese phone manufactures Vivo, alleging that shell companies were used to remit 1 lakh crore outside India between 2014 and 2021, people familiar with the development said.

- Neeraj Chauhan

Those named in the charge sheet, filed before a special court in Delhi on Wednesday, include Hari Om Rai, founder and managing director of Lava International, who is accused of assisting Vivo; Guangwen Kyang alias Andrew Kuang, a Chinese national who allegedly played a key role in Vivo's money laundering activities; Nitin Garg, chartered accountant (CA) who worked for Vivo; and Rajan Malik, the statutory auditor of Lava, the people cited above said, asking not to be named. The accused persons have been lodged in prison since October.

Vivo, as a corporate entity, has also been named as an accused in the charge sheet. The charges have been filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the people added.

HT reached out to Vivo on the ED charge sheet but there was no comment.

Rai's lawyer, Nitesh Rana said, "There is no evidence of money laundering against my client. The case will not stand judicial scrutiny".