New Delhi: Days after the Enforcement Directorate arrested three Vivo India staff in reference to a cash laundering probe, China on Monday stated it can present help to the arrested people.

The Chinese international ministry immediately stated it was carefully following the case and can present “consular protection” to these arrested.

“The Chinese embassy and consulates in India will continue to provide consular protection and assistance to the individuals concerned in accordance with the law,” Chinese international ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated.

She stated China hopes India will present the Chinese firms a “non-discriminatory” atmosphere.

“The Chinese government firmly supports Chinese businesses in safeguarding their lawful rights and interests. We hope that India will fully recognise the mutually beneficial nature of the business cooperation between our two countries and provide a fair, just, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment,” she added.

The Enforcement Directorate has so far arrested the interim CEO of Vivo-India Hong Xuquan alias Terry, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Harinder Dahiya, consultant Hemant Munjal, Lava International’s MD Hari Om Rai, Chinese national Guangwen alias Andrew Kuang and chartered accountants Nitin Garg and Rajan Malik in connection with the case.

Also read: ‘Crores remitted out of India’: ED files charge sheet in probe against Chinese phone maker Vivo

Earlier this month, ED filed a charge sheet against Vivo saying the company had used shell companies to remit ₹1 lakh crore overseas between 2014 and 2021.

Hari Om Rai was accused of aiding the corporate. Guangwen Kyang alias Andrew Kuang (a Chinese nationwide who allegedly performed a key function in Vivo’s cash laundering actions), Nitin Garg (chartered accountant who labored for Vivo) and Rajan Malik (statutory auditor of Lava) had been additionally named within the cost sheet. Vivo was named as an accused within the doc.

The company stated Vivo had included 19 firms in India after its entry in 2014.

The company, which raised Vivo-linked premises final yr, stated it remitted the cash to buying and selling firms.

“While no profit was shown from 2014-15 to 2019-20 in the statutory filings and no income taxes were paid in India, huge sums were siphoned off out of India,” based on ED’s courtroom paperwork seen by HT.

With inputs from PTI