The Delhi High Court on Wednesday ordered three persons accused in the Vivo money laundering case to file their replies in a week to a plea by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenging a trial court order for their release.Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma also ordered the interim CEO of VIVO India Hong Xuquan, the Chief Financial Officer of Vivo India Harinder Dahiya and Vivo's consultant Hemant Munjal to not leave the country without the court’s permission and to report to the ED on Friday and Monday.The matter will be heard next on January 11.The ED has approached the High Court against a trial court order that had allowed a plea moved by three Vivo officials, Xuquan, Dahiya and Munjal challenging their arrest and subsequent custody.In an order passed on December 30, 2023, the trial court had directed the immediate release of the three accused while observing that they were not produced before the court within 24 hours of arrest and therefore, their arrest was not sustainable. It was the accused officials' case that they were arrested on December 21, 2023 and not December 22 as claimed by the ED. They contended that because they were not produced before the court within 24 hours, their arrest was illegal.
Meanwhile, the ED contested the claims and argued that the three accused were arrested on December 22, supplied with the grounds of arrest, and produced before the concerned court within 24 hours.The ED’s counsel argued that the accused’s premises were searched on December 21 after which they were taken to the ED office for questioning and were formally arrested on December 22.Notably, the ED had raided the premises of Vivo and its officials in July 2023 and alleged that there was a major money laundering racket involving Chinese nationals and Indian firms. It claimed that ₹62,476 crore was illegally transferred by Vivo to China to avoid payment of taxes in India.
TAGS: Delhi High Court Vivo Officials Money Laundering Case Reply
