Centre''s clean chit to Karmapa in foreign currency haul case

New Delhi, Feb 16 (PTI) The Centre is understood to havegiven a clean chit to Tibetan spiritual leader Karmapa UgyenTrinely Dorji in the case relating to the huge foreigncurrency haul from his house saying the money had come in theform of donations and offerings by devotees.

This was the conclusion arrived by the central governmentafter its agencies probed the case following the recovery offoreign currency to the tune of Rs 7.5 crore from the GyutoMonastery, the transit home of the Karmapa, in HimachalPradesh, sources said

"The foreign currency recovered during raids aredonations and offerings from devotees and the affairs of theTrust backed by him are managed by the trustees. It happeneddue to the callousness of his associates and lack of knowledgeof laws," a source said adding the Karmapa''s associates hadmade the mistake of keeping such a huge amount of foreigncurrency.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the Karmapa''s followerstoday met Union Home Secretary Gopal K Pillai and apprised himabout various aspects of the case.

The delegation pleaded for the innocence of the Karmapaand assured all cooperation from his side to the ongoingprobe.

The Home Secretary is learnt to have asked the delegationto advise the Karmapa and his associates about the existinglaws, to hire chartered accountants to manage his funds and toregister the trust under the Foreign Contribution RegulationAct.

Foreign currency belonging to 25 countries, includingChina, was recovered by the police from the premises of theKarmapa-backed trust and some of the trustees in the raidsthat followed recovery of Rs one crore from two persons onJanuary 25 last, allegedly drawn from a bank at Majnoo-ka-Tilain Delhi for a land deal.