Dharamsala, January 29
Income tax authorities and intelligence agencies today joined Himachal police in investigation of the Karmapa case. Sources told The Tribune that income tax authorities collected details of cash and documents confiscated by the Himachal Pradesh police from the monastery of the Karmapa in the last two days.
The police also carried out a search at the residence of Gompa Shering, Karmapa’s private secretary. According to sources, the police recovered $4275 dollars and small amounts in Euro and Canadian dollars. Karmapa’s advocate from the Supreme Court also arrived at Dharamsala today and is likely to address the media tomorrow and give a clarification about allegations being levelled against the Karmapa dubbing him a Chinese spy.
Senior police officials, including IG Kangra Zone, PL Thakur, denied that the Karmapa had been questioned and said that present there were no plans to question Karmapa.
The Karmapa’s spokesperson today expressed regret at the charge of being a Chinese spy levelled against the Karmapa and said the leader was available for questioning by Indian investigating agencies.
The police today conducted a search at the office and residence of Dharamsala businessman, KP Baradwaj. The latter was selling 52 kanals to a trust being run under the aegis of the Karmapa and had received an initial payment. The Rs 1crore, confiscated by Una police on January 26 from the private vehicle of Baradwaj, was the final instalment of the land deal being brought by the driver from the Delhi-based office of Karma Gachen Trust. The total amount of the land deal was 2.50
crore.