Investigators probing the alleged fake Durga Puja pass scam — involving festival tour packages marketed under the UNESCO tag — are now set to question Madhuchhanda Sen, wife of arrested former West Bengal minister Indranil Sen, whose company allegedly sold the fraudulent passes. The development comes days after Sen's arrest in Kolkata this week in connection with the case.

Background: The Arrest and the Alleged Scam

Indranil Sen, a former tourism minister and former Minister of State for Information and Cultural Affairs in the Mamata Banerjee-led All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, was arrested earlier this week by the Kolkata Police after he emerged from the Enforcement Directorate (ED)'s Salt Lake office, where he had undergone marathon questioning. He is currently the fifth former minister of the previous TMC government in West Bengal to face arrest.

According to prosecutors, Mass Art — a corporate entity owned by Madhuchhanda Sen — had signed an agreement with UNESCO in 2025. The company allegedly marketed and sold Durga Puja tour packages using the UNESCO tag between 2022 and 2025, reportedly in violation of restrictions on the commercial use of the organisation's logo.

Wife's Questioning: Custody Not Possible

While investigators plan to question Madhuchhanda Sen, she cannot be taken into custody, as the Calcutta High Court has already granted her anticipatory bail in the case. Police sources indicate that a decision is yet to be finalised on whether she will be summoned to the Kolkata Police headquarters at Lalbazar in central Kolkata, or whether investigators will travel to her residence for questioning.

Financial Trail Under Scrutiny

The investigating team is now scrutinising the bank accounts of Indranil Sen, his wife, their daughters, and several close relatives, according to police sources. Investigators are examining whether shell companies were created or utilised to divert funds allegedly collected through the operation. Prosecutors told the city court that money was transferred to Sen's personal bank account on the same day that collections were deposited into Mass Art's account — a pattern that investigators say warrants deeper examination.

Parallel Probes by Police and ED

Both the Kolkata Police and the Enforcement Directorate are conducting parallel investigations into the alleged scam. Sen remains in police custody and is being questioned for several hours each day. He is next scheduled to be produced before a city court on 10 November. This is not the first time West Bengal's former ruling establishment has faced such scrutiny — Sen's arrest follows a pattern of post-government accountability actions targeting former TMC ministers across a range of alleged financial irregularities.

The case is expected to gather momentum as investigators follow the money trail and prepare to formally question Madhuchhanda Sen in the days ahead.