Former West Bengal Minister Indranil Sen is facing intensifying scrutiny on 29 October 2026, as Kolkata Police widens its investigation beyond the alleged fake UNESCO-tagged Durga Puja pass scam to examine financial links between a corporate entity owned by his wife Madhucchanda Sen and at least two private event management firms — links that allegedly formed during Sen's tenure as Minister of State for Information and Cultural Affairs in West Bengal.

The ₹53 Crore Tender at the Centre of the Probe

According to city police insiders, during Sen's ministerial tenure, an event management tender worth ₹53.46 crore was awarded on behalf of his department to a firm called GIDI Creation. Investigators allege the tender was granted despite complaints that the firm lacked sufficient experience in the field. The administration reportedly overlooked those complaints, with insiders claiming GIDI Creation was owned by a childhood friend of Sen.

GIDI Creation subsequently outsourced the contracted work to another entity, Third Line Creation — a firm that is, according to investigators, completely inoperative at present. At the time of the transfer, GIDI Creation reportedly moved ₹50.31 crore into Third Line Creation's accounts.

Trail Leads to Wife's Entity and Relatives' Firms

Investigators allege that substantial funds were subsequently routed to Mass Art Society, an entity owned by Madhucchanda Sen. According to police sources, Mass Art Society was the vehicle through which the alleged UNESCO-tagged Durga Puja passes were sold — the conduct at the heart of the original scam allegation.

The financial scrutiny does not stop there. Kolkata Police insiders said the accounts of two additional entities — ISCAPE and Myra, both allegedly owned by close relatives of Sen — are also under active examination by Investigating Officers.

Parallel Probes by Kolkata Police and ED

Both Kolkata Police and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have been conducting parallel investigations into the alleged Durga Puja pass scam. The two agencies appear to be working separate angles of the same case. Sen was arrested by Kolkata Police on Wednesday as he exited the ED's Salt Lake office on the northern outskirts of Kolkata, following a marathon interrogation by central agency officials.

This is notably the first known arrest in the case, and comes after what appears to be coordinated pressure from both agencies. The timing — Sen walking out of an ED session only to be detained by state police — signals the seriousness with which both central and state-level enforcement bodies are treating the matter.

What Happens Next

Sen is scheduled to be produced before a lower court in Kolkata on Thursday. The Public Prosecutor is expected to seek police custody for further interrogation. Investigators say they are actively working to identify other alleged beneficiaries in the scam. The case, which involves a culturally prominent event associated with UNESCO recognition, has drawn considerable public attention in West Bengal.