ED Files First Charge Sheet Against Vivo India in Money Laundering Case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed its first charge sheet in the ongoing money laundering investigation against Chinese smartphone manufacturer Vivo India and others.

According to sources, the prosecution complaint was filed in a Delhi court on Wednesday under relevant sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Vivo India has been named as an accused in the charge sheet along with four individuals whom the ED earlier arrested.

Those charge-sheeted include Hari Om Rai, Managing Director of Lava International, Chinese national Guangwen Kuang alias Andrew Kuang, who is a former employee of Vivo Mobile India, and chartered accountants Nitin Garg and Rajan Malik.

The ED has alleged that Vivo India siphoned off Rs 1 lakh crore to China between 2014 and 2021 through a network of shell companies. The money was claimed to have been laundered to evade tax payments in India.

Vivo India has denied any wrongdoing. The matter has now been deferred to December 13 by the court to decide on taking cognizance of the charge sheet.