The Himachal Pradesh government is now moving to acquire the land of Gyuto Monastery, the transit home of Karmapa Ugyen Trinley Dorje, as the probe into seizure of large amount of foreign currency from the monastery brought fresh focus on benami deals by the community members.
Till now, apart from a few statements issued by his office, the young Karmapa Lama has refused to come out of his reserve and comment on the accusations levelled against him, particularly the cash donations received by his monastery but not deposited in a bank, and his relations with India. For the first time, he agrees to speak to Rediff.com, in an exclusive interview to Claude Arpi
The young, extremely bright Karmapa should teach his staff proper accounting ways, advises Claude Arpi
The Centre is understood to have given a clean chit to Tibetan spiritual leader Karmapa Ugyen Trinely Dorji in the case relating to the huge foreign currency haul from his house, saying the money had come in the form of donations and offerings by devotees.
"The huge foreign currency recovered during raids from the Gyuto Monastery, the transit home of the Karmapa, are donations and offerings from devotees and the Karmapa has no links with it as the affairs of the trust are managed by trustees," Chief Secretary Rajwant Sandhu told media persons in Shimla.
Headed by Deputy Director (North) V Neerja, the ED team reached the Gyuto Monastery at Sidhbari just before noon and had a marathon question-answer session lasting four hours and 40 minutes.
The police on Sunday questioned the Karmapa and also arrested two more persons in connection with the seizure of foreign currency worth over Rs 7.5 crore from the offices of a trust backed by him. The Karmapa denied any Chinese links and said the charges against him were 'grossly speculative and without foundation'. A team of state police officers put nearly 50 questions to Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje at Gyuto Monastery at Sidhbari.
A huge amount of foreign currency was seized during raids at a transit home of 17th Karmappa Ugyen Trinley Dorje at Sidhbari near Dharamsala.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has assured a Buddhist delegation that he will personally look into the case of recovery of foreign currency to the tune of Rs 7.5 crore from Gyuto Monastery, the transit home of Karmapa Ugyen Trinley Dorje, in Himachal Pradesh.
The 17th Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje last week visited Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as a part of southern Tibet.
You cannot just swing by to say hello to the Dalai Lama when you're in Mcleodganj but there's plenty to experience discovers Hitesh Harisinghani/Rediff.com.
In the long-running rivalry between the 'Delhi Karmapa' and the 'Chinese Karmapa', the latter seems to have won.
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