The land mafia operating from Sikkim and Kathmandu with an alleged Chinese connection, runs its writ in the Tibetan Khampa Industrial Society (TKIS), Chauntra, as more than dozen multi-crore benami houses and hotels with underground rooms have raised the security concern of local residents. The government says it will hold an inquiry and take action against the violators.

The arrest of eight Taiwanese and one Tsechatin, a so-called caretaker of a multi-crore benami house at the Tibetan colony, has opened a can of worms. The land mafia is operating from outside in an alleged connivance with some ambitious locals, who have amassed property from unaccounted sources of income, sources said. A complaint in this connection has been made to various government agencies by local residents.

Paliki Dolma, who fled from the house along with her daughter and sister, have been living in a palatial suspicious house, which is allegedly built by funds pumped from outside by some Rinpoche, alleged to be a close associate of Tai Setu, the controversial guru of the Karampa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje based at Sidhbari in Kangra, the sources said.