DHARAMSALA/NEW DELHI, Jan 28 � Police claimed to have seized foreign currency valued at over Rs six crore during raids in the offices of a trust backed by 17th Karmapa Ugyen Trinley Dorje, who investigators believe could be having links with Chinese authorities, reports PTI.
Himachal Pradesh ADGP (Law and Order) S R Mardi said huge sums of money in currencies of 25 countries including China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, the UK, the US, Australia, Thailand, Vietnam and Germany were seized during the raids.
The recovered amount includes 11 lakh in Chinese Yuan, 6 lakh USD and Rs 30 lakh. Officials said law will take its own course in the case.
DGP D S Minhas said lots of land deal documents were also found and probe is on whether these are part of some benami deals. Some travellers cheques were also found.
The Karmapa, who had fled to India on January 5, 2000 from China as a 14-year-old boy, may be questioned if needed, Minhas said. He has been living in Dharamsala ever since.
Although Dorje is widely called the Karmapa, officials said that he is one of the four contenders to the seat of Karmapa. The Dalai Lama had also recognised him as �Karmapa�, a Buddhist seat that carries forward Tibetan activities.
Investigators probing the huge cash haul from the transit home of the Karmapa suspect that he is in regular touch with Chinese authorities, apparently to help Beijing control Buddhist monasteries from Ladakh to Tawang.
