Former West Bengal tourism minister Indranil Sen appeared before the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday in connection with alleged financial irregularities involving Durga Puja preview shows in Kolkata, a day after the agency searched 15 locations linked to him, his relatives and an organisation led by his wife, Madhuchhanda Sen.
The ED issued the summons after searches conducted on Tuesday. According to sources cited by The Indian Express, the agency said it found evidence supporting allegations connected to the activities of massArt, an organisation associated with the preview shows. The allegations include the misuse of public funds, the collection of money from visitors and the false representation that the organisation was an official partner of Unesco.
The case originated in a police complaint filed in June after Kolkata’s Durga Puja received recognition from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. The complaint alleged that massArt used Unesco’s name while organising a ticketed preview covering 24 selected Durga Puja pandals across the city.
The complaint further alleged that tickets were sold to the public through the Mahanirban Road Mass Art Society. Ticket prices reportedly included a Rs 4,000 entry option, while a 2025 Donor Pass listed different rates under categories such as Platinum Family, Platinum Couple, Platinum Single, Gold Pass and Silver Pass. The ED is examining how the rate chart was prepared and who was involved in fixing the prices.
According to the report, agency sources estimate that massArt collected between Rs 50 crore and Rs 60 crore from people in the name of preview shows. Investigators are examining how the money was distributed, whether any funds were transferred for personal gain, how puja committees were brought into the collection process and the identities of influential people linked to the operation.
The alleged use of Unesco’s name is a central part of the investigation. Sources said the ED had not found proof that Unesco supported massArt. The complaint alleged that the organisation falsely claimed that the selected pandals had been chosen by Unesco, even though the selection was made by the organisation itself.
The case also raises questions about public access to religious and cultural spaces during Kolkata’s biggest annual festival. According to the complaint, the selected pandals were reserved for visitors who bought tickets during the preview show, while members of the public were barred from entering. It alleged that visitors unable to pay the specified prices were prevented from entering the pandals, leading to conflicts and disorder at several venues.
The ED registered two cases in June, including one against Sen and his wife, and subsequently filed an Enforcement Case Information Report. The agency is now investigating the money trail, the role of the participating puja communities and the wider network of people involved in the ticketing and promotional arrangements.
Sen’s appearance before the agency follows the searches and marks the next formal step in the investigation. The ED’s findings, the financial trail and the allegations in the police complaint remain subject to the ongoing inquiry and further proceedings.
