In a significant development, Delhi’s Patiala House Court has ordered the release of three key figures associated with Chinese smartphone maker Vivo’s India unit. Interim CEO Hong Xuquan (known as Terry), Chief Financial Officer Harinder Dahiya, and consultant Hemant Munjal were arrested on December 22 by the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The court, led by vacation judge Shirish Agrawal, granted their release upon furnishing bail bonds of Rs. 2 lakh each. The arrests were made in connection with the ongoing money laundering probe against Vivo and other implicated companies.
The accused had challenged the legality of their arrest, and their release comes after the expiry of custodial remand. The Enforcement Directorate had previously arrested four individuals, including Lava International’s MD Hari Om Rai, Chinese national Guangwen (Andrew Kuang), and chartered accountants Nitin Garg and Rajan Malik.
The case has garnered attention at the diplomatic level, with the Chinese Foreign Ministry expressing its close monitoring of the situation. The Ministry stated its commitment to providing consular protection and assistance to the individuals involved.
Vivo executives had sought to return the awards but were stopped by the police when attempting to reach the Prime Minister’s Office. The release order marks a new chapter in this complex case.
