The Chinese smartphone company Vivo has been embroiled in a legal issue after India’s financial crime agency said that the workers of Vivo visited the sensitive Himalayan region of J&K after concealing their employment when seeking visas. According to ED, many employees of the Chinese smartphone company and its Indian affiliates breached rules by traveling in the sensitive region of Jammu and Kashmir. Furthermore, it was also alleged that Vivo siphoned billions of dollars aboard. Reports have claimed that ED said court that Vivo siphoned around $13 billion aboard. Yes, you heard it right, if you are also scrambling to the web regarding the same, keep reading this article for more details.
Financial Crime Energy said that employees of Vivo visited sensitive regions of the Himalayan valley after concealing their employment when seeking visas. This news came after the tension rose between Beijing and New Delhi over business activities. Meanwhile, India strengthened the curbs on investments from China and prohibited myriad Chinese apps following the conflict between the soldiers of both countries at the border in 2020 when 4 Chinese soldiers and 20 Indian soldiers died. On Tuesday, a complaint was filed with the court followed by the arrest of Guangwen Kuang who is a senior executive of Vivo.
Reports have claimed that Guangwen Kuang was arrested in connection with the money laundering. Last year, an investigation was started into this matter. Kindly note that Vivo is the second biggest smartphone brand in India. Recently, ED alleged that at least 30 workers of the Chinese smartphone company visited India after seeking business but they visited the sensitive regions of Kashmir Valley. In addition, they did not mention in their application forms that they worked with Vivo. ED submitted a 32-page file to the court.
It claimed “Various Chinese nationals have been traveling across India, including sensitive places of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, in gross violation of Indian visa conditions,” It was the first time ED accused the Chinese smartphone company of the alleged breach of rules. ED said in the filing, “Many employees of Vivo group companies worked in India without appropriate visas. They have concealed information regarding their employer in their visa applications and cheated the Indian embassy or missions in China”. Last week the Foreign Ministry of China claimed it was closely monitoring the issue but as of yet, it has not responded to it. Stay tuned.