Dharamsala:
Tibetan religious leader Karmapa might be subjected to a third round of grilling today in connection with the foreign currency worth over Rs 8 crore that was seized from the offices of a trust backed by it.
Investigative agencies have found that the cash, that was in various currencies like Yuan, Hong Kong dollars, Euro and US dollars, came from Nepal. It has been traced back to Hong Kong. However, the trace has gone cold there.
The agencies have suspected that the funding is being sourced by the Chinese government agencies. This is probably the first time that such a concrete link between the Chinese authorities and the Karmapa has been established.
Investigators have also found that this is not the first attempt by the Karmapa to buy land. In 2007, Karmapa tried to buy an 18-acre plot in Trilokpuri, Kangra for over Rs 1 crore and in 2008, an attempt was made to buy a 6-acre plot in Sidda-bhari for over Rs 40 lakh.
Meanwhile, as the money trail continues to cast a shadow over the Tibetan religious leader, Karmapa's supporters in large numbers took out a procession on Sunday which culminated in a candle light meeting in Karmapa's monastery.
The supporters said it was an emergency meeting arranged in just two hours to show solidarity with Karmapa.
The followers added that the entire Buddhist world is concerned about this development and that till the probe is over, Karmapa's name should not be dragged into the controversy.
The Karmapa has already been questioned twice by by a team of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials at the Gyoto Monastery at Sidhbari.
The third-ranked spiritual leader feigned complete ignorance about the foreign currency and other documents recovered from there.
So far, seven arrests have been made in this connection including a couple that was arrested from Manali last night. Earlier yesterday, a hotelier named K P Bhardawaj was arrested in Dharamsala.
(Read: Police detain hotelier in Dharamsala)His Holiness the Dalai Lama on Sunday came out in support of a "thorough investigation" into the incident.
(Read: Karmapa money trail: Dalai Lama backs probe into 'possible negligence')