No comments on clean chit to Karmapa Lama: Himachal Chief Minister

Dharamsala , Feb 17 (ANI) : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has said that he has nothing to comment on 17th Karmapa Lama, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, obtaining a clean chit from the Central government agencies vis-à-vis the seizure of huge amount of foreign currency from his monastery.

Interacting with media persons at Dharamsala on Wednesday, he said that the entire case is being investigated by the Central agencies under the FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act by Reserve Bank of India), therefore, if the Central government gives clean chit to Karmapa Lama then the state has nothing to comment on it.

"FEMA's regulations come under the Central government and the state government has nothing to say about it. If the Central government has found something after the investigation then the state government has nothing to comment on it," said Dhumal.

He further said that if any body is found to have been involved in illegal land dealing then that person irrespective of the status, influence and nationality would be treated equally before the law.

"Karmapa's name in any way is not involved in a any land related cases. Neither there are any cases against some particular monastery person. Under the general policy of Himachal Pradesh, if there has been any illegal land dealing then it would be investigated. If there would be any case against Tibetans or any other person, then law would treat every one equally and would proceed accordingly," added Prem Kumar Dhumal.

On January 27, the police had raided the Gyuto Tantric monastery of the Karmapa Lama in northern Dharamsala, and recovered currencies of at least 25 countries worth over 60 million rupees during the operation.

Among the recovered currencies were 1.1 million Chinese Yuan.

Media reports said security agencies apprehended that the Lama is a Chinese spy to control Buddhist monasteries, from Ladakh in northern Jammu and Kashmir, to Tawang in northeastern Arunachal Pradesh.

Karmapa Lama is regarded as the third most important leader in the Tibetan hierarchy after the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama. (ANI)