Former West Bengal Minister Indranil Sen Sent to 13 Days Police Custody Over Alleged Durga Puja Ticket Scam

Former West Bengal Minister Indranil Sen was remanded to 13 days of police custody on Thursday following his arrest in connection with an alleged Durga Puja ticket scam.

Court Production and Custody

Mr. Sen was produced at the Bankshall Court on Thursday morning, October 29, 2026. Kunal Agarwal, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime), stated that police obtained custody of the former minister until November 10. Investigators reported finding multiple financial transactions linked to Mr. Sen that he allegedly could not explain. Police stated that the exact cheating amount and money trail remain under verification, while noting that the initial complaint involves an amount of 34 crore.

Allegations and Investigations

• Charges: Both the Kolkata Police and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are investigating allegations of financial irregularities involving the sale of Durga Puja tickets under the organization MassArt.
• MassArt Organization: Headed by Mr. Sen's wife, the organization allegedly conducted exclusive Durga Puja previews using expensive tickets.
• FIR Details: An FIR registered at the Bow Bazar Police Station alleges that Mr. Sen and other members of MassArt used the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage tag of Durga Puja for personal gains.
• ED Raids: The Enforcement Directorate reportedly conducted searches across 15 premises linked to the former minister and others regarding financial irregularities in the organization running the preview shows.
• Legal Proceedings: Prior to his arrest, Mr. Sen was reportedly denied anticipatory bail by the Calcutta High Court, and Supreme Court judge Dipankar Dutta recused himself from a bail hearing on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. He was questioned for over four hours at the ED office in Salt Lake before being taken into custody by police on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.

Political Reactions and Protests

Following the arrest, political figures issued varied responses:

• Bharatiya Janata Party workers staged a protest outside Mr. Sen's residence in the Singur area.
• Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and minister Agnimitra Paul alleged that proceeds from the financial irregularities were shared with former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
• CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty questioned whether the investigations would reach higher levels.
• Trinamool general secretary Abhishek Banerjee criticized the actions, stating that individuals who maintained their integrity were being targeted.

Authorities continue to investigate the matter. Verification of official announcements can be conducted through updates from the Kolkata Police and the Enforcement Directorate.