Former Trinamool Congress minister and singer Indranil Sen appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in Kolkata on Wednesday in connection with an investigation into alleged financial irregularities involving the sale of entry passes for Durga Puja preview shows. His appearance came a day after the agency searched 15 locations linked to Sen, his relatives and an organisation associated with his wife, Madhuchhanda Sen.
Sen arrived at around 11 am at the ED office in the CGO Complex in Salt Lake, according to The Statesman. The searches were conducted at his residence and several other premises connected to the alleged irregularities. The investigation concerns allegations that fake passes were sold for Durga Puja events, resulting in the alleged misappropriation of crores of rupees.
Investigators have preliminarily estimated the suspected financial irregularity at approximately Rs 50-60 crore, according to sources cited in the report. The estimate relates to the alleged sale of “fake passes” for preview shows and privileged entry to Durga Puja events. The allegations have not been established in court.
The case originated with a complaint filed by Joydeep Mukhopadhyay, which alleged that Sen and his wife were involved in corruption connected with the sale of event access. An FIR was subsequently registered at Bowbazar Police Station on the basis of the complaint. The ED later initiated its investigation into the matter.
According to the complaint, an initiative was launched to sell tickets for a “preview show” and “privileged Puja entry” under the banner of Durga Puja. It alleged that the programme was promoted in a way that suggested direct endorsement or partnership by UNESCO. The complaint further claimed that UNESCO had not consented to any such commercial agreement or partnership.
The allegation is significant because Kolkata’s Durga Puja celebrations received UNESCO recognition in 2021 and have since remained closely associated with the city’s cultural identity and public image. The complaint alleged that the use of UNESCO’s name could have misled members of the public about the nature or legitimacy of the ticketing initiative. The source report did not provide a response from UNESCO on the allegations.
The investigation also concerns an entity called Mass Art, which the allegations identify as being associated with Madhuchhanda Sen. The complaint claimed that the organisation was established within six months of Kolkata’s Durga Puja receiving UNESCO recognition. The supplied report did not establish the entity’s precise role in the ticketing activity or provide details of its registration and operations.
The case places the commercial organisation of access to major public cultural events under scrutiny. Durga Puja preview shows and privileged-entry programmes operate alongside a wider festival economy involving organisers, sponsors, cultural institutions, ticketing arrangements and visitors. The ED’s investigation is examining whether financial transactions connected with such activities involved proceeds or irregularities covered by its mandate.
Sen’s appearance before the agency follows the searches and represents the next recorded step in the investigation. Further details about statements recorded, documents seized, possible charges or the agency’s findings were not available in the supplied report. The investigation remains ongoing, and the allegations against Sen and others will require determination through due process.
