Former Bengal minister Indranil Sen arrested in Kolkata over alleged financial irregularities in Durga Puja preview shows

Former West Bengal tourism minister Indranil Sen was arrested by Kolkata Police on Wednesday after being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case linked to alleged financial irregularities involving Durga Puja preview shows.

The probe centres on massArt (Mahanirban Road Mass Art), an organisation associated with Sen’s wife, Madhuchhanda Sen, which organised Durga Puja preview shows at selected pandals in Kolkata. The ED has alleged that the organisers sold tickets priced between ₹1,749 and ₹5,499, with more than one lakh tickets issued in 2023 and 2024.

According to the ED, the proceeds were allegedly siphoned off through cash withdrawals or recorded as miscellaneous expenses. The agency has also alleged that more than ₹3.8 crore in cash was deposited into the bank accounts of Sen and his proprietorship concern, Octave Records, during his tenure.

The ED further said nearly ₹30 lakh was transferred from Octave Records to former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee through banking channels. Sen reportedly described the payment as “royalty”. However, the agency did not specify what the payment was for or allege any criminality in the transaction.

The case is being investigated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED had questioned Sen for around 10 hours and searched 15 premises in Kolkata linked to him and his associates as part of the investigation.