India probes Buddhist leader?s China links

Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) : Indian security agencies are likely to question Tibetan Buddhist leader Ogyen Trinley Dorje for his purported Chinese links after his accountant was arrested here on Friday with an estimated Rs 8.5 crores in multiple currencies.

Dorje was enthroned as the 17th Karmapa ? the head of the Karma Kagyu, one of the schools of Tibetan Buddhism ? after the death of the 16th Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje. But his election has been embroiled in controversy and Trinley Thaye Dorje operates as a parallel Karmapa.

With about 11 lakh in Chinese yuan (Rs 76 lakh) being recovered in the raids, questions are being raised on whether Dorje was acting as a Chinese agent in Himachal Pradesh.

The head of the second-biggest Buddhist sect in Tibet, he escaped from China and arrived at the Tibetan exile quarters at McLeod Ganj in 2000. Officials now suspect that the escape was staged, reports said.

Authorities believe that with the money that was recovered on Friday, the Karmapa intended to set up a China-friendly Monastery on Kangra, Himachal Pradesh in an attempt to rally support for the country.

This is said to be Dorje?s third attempt to acquire land in Kangra, following attmepts earlier in 2007 and 2008 which were halted by the RBI and Enforcement Directorate after the started scrutinising the sources of the cash.