Continuing with their probe into the recovery of unaccounted money,including foreign currency,from his Gyuto Monastery in Sidhbari village,Dharamsala,the Himachal Police have formally asked the 17th Karmapa,Ogyen Trinley Dorje,to answer a questionnaire pertaining to the case. The Karmapa has been handed over a questionnaire,comprising 46 questions,and asked to submit his reply by next week. The spiritual leader on Sunday denied any role in the alleged financial and benami land deals,including 11.36 lakh Chinese yuan seized by the police during the past 48-hour raid.
Led by Additional SP,Una,K G Kapoor,the police on Sunday questioned the spiritual leader for two hours. Karmapa,aided by his interpreter Karma Chugyalpa and lawyer Naresh Mathur,confirmed that he had knowledge about the efforts of his monastery to buy land in Himachals Kangra district but said that he wasnt aware of the details. He claimed that most of the money received at the monastery was in the form of offerings and donations from devotees across the world,including China,and that he has nothing to do with the financial deals that are being handled by three functionaries,including Shakti Lama who was arrested two days ago. I dont even look at the offerings,my job is only spiritual, he claimed.
The police said this was his first formal interrogation and it was held in the presence of Supreme Court lawyers.
Karmapa denied having any personal bank account. He also denied any knowledge about Chinese currency,even as his aides present claimed that some of the devotees do bring Chinese currency,of which Karmapa has no knowledge.
Santosh Patyal,SP,Una,said the response of Karmapa was on the expected lines as he did not give any substantial clue about the cash.
The police have arrested two more persons in this case Dharamsala-based hotelier K P Bhardwaj and Ambala-based Corporation Bank manager D K Dhar. Both were produced in a court at Una on Sunday,from where they were taken into police custody. Dhar and Bhardwaj were detained by the police on Saturday,following raids at Bhardwajs hotel and residence. Sources said the police have recovered property-related documents from Bhardwajs residence,besides cash. The documents are yet being scrutinised,but there was prima facie evidence to arrest Bhardwaj and Dhar, said one of the investigating officers.
While Bhardwaj is alleged to have demanded Rs 1 crore towards the deal of a 52 kanals land,located behind the monastery,Dhar is alleged to have prepared a fake document and handed it over to Bhardwajs men for carrying Rs 1 crore from Delhi to Dharamsala. The money,when seized at Mehatpur border,Una,on January 26,was being transported in a Mahindra Scorpio belonging to Bhardwaj and bearing a Himachal registration number.
Addressing a press conference at Dharamsala on Sunday,the Karmapas monastery admitted that Rs 1 crore was seized by the police at Mehatpur border. However,the monasterys spokesperson said,The money belongs to the monastery and it was to be paid to Bhardwaj for a land transaction.
Unanswered questions
Despite denials issued by the Karmapa monastery,there are several unanswered questions:
If the money belonged to the monastery,why were Bhardwajs men carrying the cash?
If the money was demanded in cash,why didnt the monasterys accounts department realise that it could amount to a black money transaction?
Why was such a huge amount not deposited in the bank?
If the monastery is being managed by a Trust,why wasnt the money deposited in the Trusts account?
Who entered into an agreement with Bhardwaj?
On whose name was the land being bought?
Did the state government give permission to build a monastery on the said land?
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