Former West Bengal Tourism Minister Indranil Sen faces mounting pressure within his own family in the multi-crore fake UNESCO-tagged Durga Puja pass scam, with both his wife and daughter now telling investigators that he was the operational force behind the corporate entities at the centre of the alleged fraud. Sen was arrested last month in connection with the case.

Daughter Echoes Mother's Account

Sen's daughter, Averi Sen, was questioned for several hours by investigating officers at Kolkata Police headquarters, Lalbazar, in Central Kolkata, earlier this week. According to a city police source, her statement closely mirrored that of her mother, Madhuchhanda Sen.

Averi was specifically questioned about large sums of money transferred to two corporate entities registered in her name — ISCAPE and Myra. She reportedly told investigators that both firms were in her name only on paper, and that her role was limited to signing documents as directed by her father.

Wife Made Similar Claims Earlier

Madhuchhanda Sen, who owns Mass Art — the entity through which the fake passes were allegedly sold — had previously told investigators during interrogation that the firm was registered in her name in name only. She claimed that all administrative and operational decisions regarding Mass Art were taken by her husband, and that she merely signed on the dotted lines as instructed by him.

What Police Say About the Financial Trail

A city police source said the corroborating statements from both family members align with what investigators had already found. 'The statements of Sen's wife and daughter corroborate the findings of the investigating officers that, in an attempt to keep himself in the fake pass case as well as other cases relating to tendering irregularities in both the state tourism and information and cultural affairs departments, Sen operated from behind in all these corporate entities, keeping his family members in the forefront,' the source said.

The source further noted that Sen allegedly avoided using his own bank accounts, instead routing financial transactions through accounts held in the names of family members or through corporate entities registered in their names.

Sen Blames Mass Art Official; Court Dates Set

Meanwhile, investigators say Sen — currently in police custody — has begun deflecting blame onto Dhrubojyoti Basu, a top official of Mass Art, who was arrested earlier this week. Sen is scheduled to be produced before a lower court in Kolkata on 10 November, while Basu is set to appear before the same court on 13 November.

The case is being investigated on two fronts: a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Kolkata Police is leading the probe, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also examining the matter in parallel. The dual investigation signals that the financial dimensions of the scam are being probed at both the state and central levels. How much further the trail extends beyond the Sen household remains a key question as hearings approach.