DALAI LAMA SUGGESTS INVESTIGATION INTO KARMAPA LAMA ISSUE

NATURAL WITH ENGLISH SPEECH

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SOURCE: ANI

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Dalai Lama suggests investigation into Karmapa Lama issue.

The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, Dalai Lama, backs the 17th Karmapa Lama Ogyen Trinley Dorje and calls for thorough probe into the seizure of millions of rupees, in at least 25 different currencies, during a recent raid at his north Indian monastery.

SHOWS:

BANGALORE, KARNATAKA, INDIA (JANUARY 30, 2011) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)

1. DALAI LAMA DELIVERING SPIRITUAL SPEECH TO HIS DEVOTEES

2. CLOSE UP OF DALAI LAMA

3. DEVOTEES

4. MANY FOREIGN DEVOTEES OF DALAI LAMA SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE

5. DEVOTEES

6. A PAINTING OF LORD BUDDHA

7. MONKS SITTING BESIDE DALAI LAMA

8. DALAI LAMA ADDRESSING DEVOTEES

9. A MONK WIPING HIS TEARS

10. SEVERAL DEVOTEES SITTING AS AUDIENCE

11. DALAI LAMA SITTING IN HIS CAR

12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) DALAI LAMA, EXILED TIBETAN SPIRITUAL LEADER, SAYING:"He received all the money from his devotees. There are many devotees including devotees from China. I think there is some sort of negligence and it's better that there should be now thorough investigation."

13. DALAI LAMA LEAVING

STORY: Defending 17th Karmapa Lama, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, the Dalai Lama on Sunday (January 30) said the foreign currency recovered from Karmapa's office as well as monasteries were donations received by the Lama from across the globe including China.

"He received all the money from his devotees. There are many devotees including devotees from China. I think there is some sort of negligence and it's better that there should be now thorough investigation," said Dalai Lama.

The Dalai Lama, who was in Bangalore city of India's southern Karnataka state to address a spiritual gathering, told mediapersons that Karmapa Lama has many Chinese followers and the Chinese currencies seized is part of the donation received from them.

However, the 17th Karmapa Lama continues to remain under scanner for his alleged Chinese links.

On Sunday, police questioned him and his secretary, Gompa Tshering in India's northern Himachal Pradesh state about the seized foreign currencies.

Sleuths of Himachal Pradesh Police had recovered considerable amount of foreign currency from the monastery on Thursday (January 27).

The 17th Karmapa is the third most important Tibetan spiritual leader.

According to the police, the raid was conducted at the Gyoto Tantric Monastery after they received a tip off.

Two persons including a close aide of Karmapa Lama were also detained for questioning.