Vivo PMLA case: Court seeks report from Tihar on shifting of Lava MD

A Delhi court has sought a report from Tihar authorities regarding the reported shifting of Lava International Managing Director Hariom Rai, arrested in a money-laundering case against Chinese smartphone maker Vivo, to a separate jail in Tihar here.

Additional Sessions Judge Kiran Gupta issued notice to jail authorities concerned on December 16 on an application moved by Rai’s advocate, who questioned his shifting and raised the issue of his safety, and directed the officials to file the report by December 18.

Advocate Nitesh Rana, appearing for Rai, submitted before the court that there were concerns regarding the safety of the accused.

“The grave threat continues to persist and there is a continual threat to the life and security of the applicant,” Rana told the court.

The counsel submitted that Rai was lodged in Jail Number 7, Tihar Jail Complex, to ensure his safety and security and where he is being provided regular medical supervision to prevent any untoward incident.

“The applicant is now being transferred out of Jail No. 7. However, there is no reason/ground for the said transfer to take place. The shifting of the applicant is likely to result in a situation where the safety and security of the applicant are put in jeopardy,” the application claimed.

Rai was arrested in the case, along with Chinese national Guangwen alias Andrew Kuang, and Chartered Accountants Nitin Garg and Rajan Malik.

The four accused were taken into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The agency had raided the company and its linked persons in July last year, claiming to have busted a major money laundering racket involving Chinese nationals and multiple Indian companies.

The ED had then alleged that a whopping Rs 62,476 crore was “illegally” transferred by Vivo to China to avoid payment of taxes in India.