After raids, ex-minister Indranil Sen appears before ED in Durga Puja ‘preview show’ case
It is alleged that Indranil Sen and officials of an organisation led by his wife Madhuchhanda Sen, misappropriated public funds and hurt religious sentiments after falsely claiming that the firm was Unesco's official partner to promote Durga Puja in the state.
West Bengal’s former tourism minister Indranil Sen on Wednesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate following a summons in connection with financial irregularities involving a company that ran Durga Puja preview shows. The central agency issued the summons following marathon searches conducted at 15 locations, including the residences of Sen and his relatives, on Tuesday.
According to ED sources, they have found evidence backing the allegations during the raids.
The case stems from a police complaint filed in June that alleged that after Kolkata’s Durga Puja received United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (Unesco) recognition, an organisation named ‘massArt’ carried out a major financial fraud using the UN body’s name.
It stated that Sen and officials of ‘massArt’, led by his wife Madhuchhanda Sen, misappropriated public funds and hurt religious sentiments after falsely claiming the organisation was Unesco’s official partner to promote Durga Puja in the state. Sources said massArt collected Rs 50 crore-Rs 60 crore from people in the name of preview shows, which was distributed among many and also transferred for personal gain.
What ED is probing
The ED is also investigating how the puja communities were included in the fund collection, the money trail, and who the influential people were. Sources said the ED has not got any proof that Unesco had supported massArt.
The ED is also investigating the rate chart which was made by the company: Platinum Family, Platinum Couple, Platinum Single, etc. The Gold Pass and Silver Pass tickets cost more than Rs 5,000. The ED is also investigating who all were involved in fixing the rate chart.
In June, the agency registered two cases, one of which was against Sen and his wife, prompting the ED to file an ECIR (Enforcement Case Information Report).
The allegation
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According to the complaint, the accused individuals sold tickets worth Rs 4,000 to the public through an organisation called the ‘Mahanirban Road Mass Art Society’. These tickets were for a ‘preview show’ covering 24 selected Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata. Although the organisation selected these pandals, it falsely claimed that the selections were made by Unesco. In 2025, the firm released a ‘Donor Pass’ that clearly specified the ticket price while making false claims of a partnership with Unesco right from the beginning. The complaint also alleged that during the ‘preview show’, the Durga Puja pandals were reserved exclusively for ticket-buying visitors, while the public was barred from entering. Those who could not afford to buy tickets at that specified price during Durga Puja were prevented from entering the pandals, resulting in conflicts and chaos across various venues.
During the previous Trinamool government’s rule, Sen was frequently seen alongside former chief minister Mamata Banerjee at various events.
Tanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage.
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