Police defends making Karmapa an accused

Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh Police today defended making Tibetan religious leader Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje as an accused in the case pertaining to seizure of unaccounted foreign and Indian currency from his monastery last year alleging he had a role in it. Director General of Police (DGP) DS Manhas told reporters in Shimla that “during the course of investigation, the police reached the conclusion that the Karmapa did have a role in the currency row”.[caption id=“attachment_170449” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Truble for the religious head. Reuters”] [/caption] Karmapa’s name was included in the chargesheet as an accused along with other nine accused named in the chargesheet filed in the court of chief judicial magistrate Rajesh Tomar in Una town last month in connection with seizure of foreign and Indian currency worth about Rs 70 million ($1.5 million) from Gyuto Tantric Monastic University on the outskirts of Dharamsala. The Karmapa’s office denied any direct or indirect involvement of the religious leader in financial administration of the office. Manhas said “since the Karmapa was heading the (Karmae Garchen) Trust, all financial transactions being carried out by the trust relating to land purchase were in his knowledge”. Clarifying on inclusion of his name in the list of accused at a later stage, Manhas said “investigation is an evolving process”. “During the probe, the police generally come to know about the role of some others (against whom the case is not registered initially). In this case too, his (Karmapa’s) role was linked with the land deal and the case later,” Manhas said. PTI