Kolkata Police, probing an alleged multi-crore fake Durga Puja pass scam tied to festival tours around the UNESCO-tagged celebration, are considering summoning the wife and daughter of arrested former West Bengal minister Indranil Sen for a second round of questioning. The move follows initial statements that investigators say left several key questions unresolved.

Contradictory Statements on 'Mass Art'

Sen's wife, Madhuchhanda Sen, and daughter, Averi Sen, were each questioned once at the city police headquarters in Lalbazar, central Kolkata. According to police sources, however, neither round of questioning yielded fully satisfactory answers.

At the heart of the issue is a direct contradiction between the accounts given by the former minister and his wife regarding their respective roles in 'Mass Art' — the entity through which the fake passes were allegedly sold. Indranil Sen reportedly claimed he had no involvement in the day-to-day operations of 'Mass Art', while Madhuchhanda Sen maintained that although the entity was officially registered in her name, she held no decision-making authority and that all major decisions were taken by her husband.

Notably, both Sen and his wife have consistently named one individual — Dhurbojyoti Basu — as the person responsible for handling 'Mass Art's' operational activities. Investigators are now seeking clarity on who among the three actually exercised effective control over the entity.

Financial Transactions Involving 'iScape' and 'Mayra'

The proposed second round of questioning for Averi Sen is linked to a separate line of inquiry — financial transactions involving two other entities, 'iScape' and 'Mayra', which were reportedly controlled by her. Police sources said the investigation revealed frequent fund transfers into the bank accounts of these two entities.

During her first round of questioning at Lalbazar on 2 November, Averi allegedly failed to provide satisfactory explanations for the transactions or establish a clear rationale behind the repeated fund movements. Investigators are now said to be seeking further clarification on the nature of these entities' involvement in the broader alleged scheme.

Who Is Indranil Sen

A singer-turned-politician, Indranil Sen served as West Bengal's Tourism Minister and as Minister of State for Information and Cultural Affairs. He is currently in police custody and is next scheduled to be produced before a city court on 10 November.

Parallel ED and Police Probes

Both the Kolkata Police and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are conducting parallel investigations into the alleged multi-crore fake Durga Puja pass scam. The probe covers financial transactions and the alleged roles of individuals associated with 'Mass Art', amid scrutiny of festival tours organised around the UNESCO-tagged celebration. The convergence of a state police probe and a central agency investigation raises the stakes significantly for all those summoned.