Delhi High Court Grants Bail to Former Lava MD Hari Om Rai in Vivo Money Laundering Case

The Delhi High Court has approved bail for Hari Om Rai, former MD of Lava Mobile, involved in a money laundering case linked to Vivo Mobile. This follows a previous rejection by the trial court in September. Detailed orders are awaited while concerns linger over potential evidence tampering.

In a significant judicial development, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted bail to Hari Om Rai, the former Managing Director of Lava Mobile, amid a money laundering investigation pursued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) concerning Vivo Mobile. This decision overturns a prior dismissal of his bail plea by the trial court in September.

Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri presided over the case, emphasizing that a detailed court order is forthcoming. Representing Rai were senior advocate Vikas Pahwa and advocate Abhay Raj Verma. Previously, the Patiala House Court had denied Rai's bail request on September 24, as he was implicated in the infamous Vivo mobile money laundering scandal.

The case involves allegations that Vivo India, through its vast network, transferred approximately Rs 70,837 crores out of the country, supported by imports from entities in Hong Kong, Samoa, and the British Virgin Islands. These operations, according to the court, reflect serious concerns about potential tampering of evidence if Rai were released on bail.

(With inputs from agencies.)