The AFP is reporting that all criminal charges pending against His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa in India were dropped today. The Karmapa had been brought up on conspiracy charges by Indian authorities in December after officials discovered more than $1 million in foreign cash (including Chinese yuan) at his monastery in January of 2011; this led to allegations from unnamed sources in Indian media that he was working as a spy for China, allegations which the Karmapa vehemently denied. The office of the Karmapa always maintained that the funds were international donations from Buddhist practitioners and supporters.
Speaking by phone with the AFP, state Home Office official S. P. Singh said, “The police and the government lawyers thoroughly investigated all the charges and found no real evidence to pursue a case against him.” You can read the entire AFP report here.
