Five former ministers of the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal have been arrested within the first six months of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) coming to power in the state, with only one of the five currently out on bail. The arrests, spanning cases of alleged corruption, extortion, political violence, and a festival pass scam, mark an aggressive accountability push by the new administration against its predecessor.

The Five Arrests: Who They Are

The first to be taken into custody was former state Fire Services Minister Sujit Bose, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a multi-crore cash-for-jobs case involving municipal recruitment in West Bengal. He remains in judicial custody.

Three more followed in quick succession. Former Minister of State for Transport Dilip Mondal, former Correctional Services Minister Ujjal Biswas, and former North Bengal Development Minister Udyana Guha were all arrested by the West Bengal Police on allegations of corruption, extortion, and political violence. Of the three, Biswas is the only one currently out on bail; Mondal and Guha remain in judicial custody.

The most recent arrest is that of Indranil Sen, the former state Tourism Minister and Minister of State for Information and Cultural Affairs. A singer-turned-politician, Sen was taken into custody by Kolkata Police earlier this week in connection with an alleged fake Durga Puja pass scam linked to festival tours associated with the UNESCO-tagged celebration. He is currently in police custody.

The Indranil Sen Case and the Mamata Banerjee Connection

Sen's arrest has drawn disproportionate attention because of a parallel ED investigation that, according to the agency, has surfaced the name of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Earlier this month, the ED issued a statement alleging that nearly ₹30 lakh was transferred from the accounts of Octave Records — a company owned by Sen — to Banerjee through banking channels. Sen has reportedly maintained that the payment was made towards royalty, not for any improper purpose.

Notably, Sen is the only one among the five against whom both the ED and the Kolkata Police are conducting parallel investigations, making his case the most legally complex of the five.

Judicial Inquiry Commission Also Involved

Beyond the criminal proceedings, a judicial inquiry commission constituted by the West Bengal government to examine alleged institutional corruption during the previous TMC regime has separately initiated an inquiry involving Sen. This dual-track scrutiny — criminal investigation alongside a commission inquiry — signals the breadth of accountability proceedings now under way in the state.

Broader Pattern: Political Power Shift and Accountability

The five arrests within the BJP government's first six months follow a pattern seen in other states where a change of government has been accompanied by large-scale investigations into the outgoing administration. Critics of the BJP have argued that politically motivated prosecutions cannot be ruled out, while the ruling party maintains that the cases are legally sound and evidence-driven. The cases concern alleged wrongdoing during the TMC government's tenure, according to officials.

With Indranil Sen's case still at the police custody stage and the ED probe live, further legal developments — including potential bail hearings and charge sheets — are expected in the weeks ahead.