Former minister Indranil Sen arrested in alleged ₹50 crore Durga Puja ticket case

Former Minister of State (MoS) for Tourism in the erstwhile Mamata Banerjee cabinet, Indranil Sen, was arrested by Kolkata Police on Wednesday evening at around 5 pm. He was arrested while leaving the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in Salt Lake after four hours of questioning in connection with alleged financial irregularities amounting to around ₹50 crore. The case relates to the alleged sale of Durga Puja tickets at inflated prices using the UNESCO logo without an official partnership.

Two teams from Kolkata Police and Bidhannagar Police were present outside the ED office while Sen was being questioned. He had approached the Calcutta High Court, which rejected his anticipatory bail plea, leading to his arrest. He is being taken to Kolkata Police headquarters at Lalbazar for further questioning and will be produced before a court on Thursday.

Sen’s wife, Madhuchhandra Sen, who runs Mass Art Society (massArt), was said to partner with UNESCO. In June, Jaydeep Mukherjee, an international travel consultant, lodged a complaint at Bowbazar police station. He also approached the Kolkata Police Commissioner and the state Director General of Police. Mukherjee alleged that he had been unable to file an FIR during the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) government’s tenure.

Sen and his wife reportedly used massArt to sell tickets priced between ₹4,000 and ₹12,000 for exclusive access to 24 Durga Puja pandals. Access to these pandals was reportedly restricted to ticket holders, with ordinary visitors allegedly being denied entry. massArt was established in 2022.

The ED conducted raids at 15 locations associated with Sen on September 29. Sen and his wife have denied the allegations of financial irregularities and that there was a partnership with UNESCO.

“He is associated. ₹30 lakhs has been transferred from his account to Mamata Banerjee’s personal account. Everyone knows CPI(M) prepared Indranil Sen and Mamata Banerjee gave him a boost. He benefited during CPIM’s time and during Mamata’s time he made a farmhouse in Singur,” said CM Suvendu Adhikari. 

“Ask the investigating officer. My job is not to interfere in the investigation. My job is to ensure police probe anyone against whom there is proof," he added. 

Durga Puja was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021. The recognition has helped expand commercial opportunities around the festival.