Mandi/ Shimla, June 13 (ANI): Police in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, on Wednesday interrogated the eight Chinese nationals arrested earlier in the day for violation of visa and work laws.
A police team had raided a house in Chauntra village here and arrested the accused.
SIM cards and unaccounted-for currency worth Rs.30 lakh was recovered from their possession.
The state's Director-General of Police (DGP), Daljeet Singh Manhas, said that the arrests were made after intelligence inputs made the authorities suspect illegal activities in the area.
"We had been getting some intelligence inputs from the last three or four months, of illegal activities in the jurisdiction of Joginder Nagar police station. Searches and raids were carried out, as a result of which we found eight Chinese nationals residing there illegally. We have found some Indian currency, foreign currency and some other incriminating evidence from their possession," he said.
The arrest comes just weeks after reports of a possible threat to the life of Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, which Manhas said was one of the aspects of the interrogation.
He declined against any confirmation that the arrested persons were spies.
"It is too early to say that, but we are also interviewing them from the angle that, is there any threat to the security of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, (also) are they indulging in any other anti-national activities, or any activities related to a criminal (nature)," he said.
In a recent interview, the Dalai Lama had mentioned that he had information of China planning to send in fake female devotees to assassinate him.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal sought support of the Centrte in the proper conduct of the investigation.
"Investigations are on to ascertain how they came here and for what reason. Tourist visas have been found on them, also currency, and mobile phones with Chinese cards to decipher which, we need the Central government's help," he said.
Police suspect that there could be more Chinese nationals living in the area without proper documents and permits and have launched a search operation.
Security has been stepped up in Dharamsala, where Dalai Lama lives with his followers. (ANI)
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