Four suspects in the Vivo money laundering case were ordered to remain in ED custody by Delhi court. The agency requested reinterrogation. Defense attorney opposed plea.
A Delhi court extended for three days the Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody of four Vivo money laundering suspects on Friday. The four suspects include Chinese official Guangwen Kyang aka Andrew Kuang, Lava International Managing Director Hari Om Rai, Chartered Accountant Nitin Garg, and Rajan Malik.
In connection with the PMLA probe of Chinese smartphone company Vivo, they were arrested on October 10.
After the anti-money laundering agency requested a 10-day remand for interrogation, Judge Devender Kumar Jangala placed the accused in three-day ED custody. All four defendants were brought to court on Friday after their first custody expired.
The prosecution requested an extension of custody to interview them. They had to face 13 witnesses and extract digital material from several devices.
Defense counsel disputed the ED’s plea, calling it a “flagrant violation of procedures”. Last July, the agency searched the corporation and its associates, alleging to have busted a Chinese national and multiple Indian company money laundering scam. The ED then claimed that Vivo “illegally” transported Rs 62,476 crore to China to dodge Indian taxes.
Conclusion
Four suspects detained in a Vivo money laundering case have been granted further custody in Delhi. The four are a Chinese official, Lava International Managing Director Hari Om Rai, Chartered Accountant Nitin Garg, and Rajan Malik. An ongoing PMLA investigation led to the four’s October 10 arrest. To interrogate and extract digital data from several devices, the prosecution requested an extension of custody. Defense lawyers opposed the agency’s plea, calling it a “flagrant violation of procedures.” Last July, the government raided the company and its associates, claiming to have disrupted a Chinese-Indian money laundering operation. The ED accused Vivo of unlawfully transferring Rs 62,476 crore to China to dodge taxes in India.
