The Kolkata Puja pass scam investigation intensified on Thursday after detectives questioned Avery Sen, the daughter of former minister Indranil Sen, while an associate linked to his organisation was arrested and remanded in police custody, according to a senior Kolkata Police officer.
Sen appeared before the Kolkata Police Detective Department after allegedly skipping multiple summonses issued over the past few days. Her appearance came amid speculation that investigators could arrest her if she failed to join the probe into the alleged multi-crore irregularities involving the distribution and sale of Durga Puja passes.
Investigators are examining the movement of funds from an organisation associated with Indranil Sen into the bank accounts of his daughter’s company and his wife, Machhanda Sen, the officer said. Avery Sen’s statement is being treated as important to determining whether she was aware of the alleged transactions and the transfer of substantial sums into her company’s accounts.
The police are also examining whether Avery Sen may be questioned alongside her father to establish the nature and extent of their alleged involvement in the financial transactions. A senior officer said the investigation was focused on the source of the funds, the transactions and the role of people who may have benefited from the alleged irregularities.
“The statements of the persons concerned are being recorded, and further action will be taken based on the evidence collected,” the officer said.
The investigation also led to the arrest of Dhruvajyoti Basu, alias Shubho, secretary of Mass Art, an organisation allegedly associated with Indranil Sen. The Special Investigation Team of the Kolkata Police Detective Department arrested Basu near Poddar Court in central Kolkata late on Wednesday after receiving a tip-off, police said.
Basu had allegedly gone underground after the Calcutta High Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea. He was produced before a court on Thursday, where the prosecution sought 14 days of police custody. Police alleged that crores of rupees had been generated through the sale of passes in the name of UNESCO.
Opposing the police custody plea, Basu’s lawyer told the court that his client had responded to the investigation by email and had expressed his willingness to cooperate. The defence also claimed that Basu had nevertheless been shown as arrested.
After hearing both sides, the court remanded Basu to police custody until November 13. The custody order gives investigators time to examine his alleged role, the financial trail connected to the pass sales and the relationship between Mass Art and the other entities under scrutiny.
The police have not announced any final conclusion on the alleged financial irregularities. Further action in the case will depend on the statements being recorded and the evidence collected during the investigation, the senior officer said.
