Former West Bengal Tourism Minister and former Minister of State for Information & Cultural Affairs Indranil Sen was arrested by Kolkata Police on Wednesday evening, 28 October 2026, in connection with an alleged fake Durga Puja pass scam linked to UNESCO-tagged festival tours. The transactions under scrutiny are estimated to involve around ₹60 crore.

Arrest After ED Interrogation

Earlier on Wednesday, the singer-turned-politician appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at its Salt Lake office in Kolkata for questioning as part of a parallel probe. Kolkata Police personnel, along with officers from Bidhannagar City Police, were stationed outside the premises throughout the interrogation. Once the ED session concluded, police took Sen into custody and transported him to the Kolkata Police headquarters at Lalbazar. A police source stated that Sen had allegedly not been cooperating with the investigation, which led to his formal arrest.

The Fake Pass Scam: What Is Alleged

According to investigators, Sen and his wife Madhuchanda Sen are accused of irregularities in the sale of counterfeit passes for Durga Puja tours — a festival that holds UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status. The probe was initiated following a complaint registered at Bowbazar Police Station in Kolkata. The ED subsequently registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), expanding the scope of the investigation to include potential money laundering.

Bail Attempts and Court Proceedings

Anticipating arrest, Sen had sought protection through the courts. His anticipatory bail plea came up before a single-judge bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh of the Calcutta High Court on 15 October, which rejected the application. Sen then moved the Supreme Court with a fresh anticipatory bail petition. However, as the apex court was closed for a week, the matter could not be heard in time — and he was arrested before the case came up for a hearing.

Mamata Banerjee Link and ED Statement

The case has drawn wider political attention. Earlier this month, the ED issued a statement naming former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in connection with a transaction involving Sen-owned Octave Records. According to the agency, nearly ₹30 lakh was allegedly transferred from the company's accounts to Banerjee through banking channels. Sen, however, maintained that the payment was made as royalty fees. This is the second major allegation in the case to involve a sitting or former chief minister, adding a significant political dimension to what began as a ticketing irregularity complaint.

Separate Inquiry Into Cultural Affairs Department

Beyond the ED investigation, a judicial inquiry commission constituted by the West Bengal government to probe alleged institutional corruption during the previous All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) regime has also initiated an inquiry involving Sen. The commission is examining alleged multi-crore irregularities in the tendering process of the state's Information and Cultural Affairs Department, where Sen had served as Minister of State. Last month, the central agency conducted raids at multiple locations, including Sen's residence, the premises of relatives, and the office of an event manager connected to the case. The case is expected to escalate further as both the ED money laundering probe and the judicial inquiry proceed simultaneously.