Even as enforcement directorate (ED) officials grilled Ogyen Trinley Dorje and his staff for over five hours on Tuesday, seeking details of the foreign currency recovered from his monastery, it has been testified that the 17th karmapa was in “constant touch with the Chinese authorities” and his prolonged stay in Himachal Pradesh “could be a security threat”.
Regardless of the denial by the Chinese government, senior officials have found evidence in recorded phone conversations that the Tibetan monk, who had made a mysterious entry to the country in 2000, has maintained close ties with China.
Almost all monasteries run by the karmapa are located in strategically-sensitive areas where there are key army and air force installations.
Himachal Pradesh CM Prem Kumar Dhumal is believed to have briefed Union home minister P Chidambaram in Delhi on Tuesday.
Of the five sim cards recovered from the karmapa’s monastery, three are Chinese, and officials said “it has been established beyond doubt that the karmapa’s advice was taken by the Chinese government from time to time on monasteries coming up in Beijing”.
“The taped conversations also show that the karmapa has been discussing Indian government’s plans about Tibetans in exile and other related policy issues,” a senior officer said.
The Rs1 crore recovered by Himachal Pradesh Police last week from a vehicle was part of a Rs5-crore payment the karmapa had to make for the purchase of 50 kanals of land for building a new monastery, ED officials said.
Meanwhile, the Himachal Pradesh government has decided to set up an investigation wing to keep a tab on the activities of the 27,542 Tibetan exiles settled mainly in and around Dharamsala.
