Calcutta HC rejects former Bengal minister Indranil Sen’s anticipatory bail plea in ED case

Kolkata, Oct 15 (IANS) The Calcutta High Court on Thursday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of former West Bengal tourism minister and former Minister of State for Information and Cultural Affairs Indranil Sen in a money laundering case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Sen, a singer-turned-politician, and his wife, Madhuchanda Sen, are accused of alleged irregularities involving the sale of fake passes for Durga Puja tours using the UNESCO tag. The amount involved in the alleged transactions was initially estimated at around Rs 60 crore.

The Kolkata Police began investigating the matter following a complaint registered at Bowbazar Police Station. The ED subsequently initiated its own investigation by registering an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR).

Last month, the central agency conducted raids and searches at multiple locations, including Sen’s residence, the premises of some of his relatives and the office or premises of an event manager connected with the case. The agency also questioned Sen twice as part of its investigation.

Anticipating arrest, Sen approached the Calcutta High Court through his counsel, seeking anticipatory bail. The plea came up for hearing before a single-judge bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh on Thursday. After hearing the matter, the court rejected his application.

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 Rs 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.

Separately, a judicial inquiry commission constituted by the West Bengal government to investigate alleged institutional corruption during the previous Trinamool Congress regime has 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. The inquiry is separate from the money laundering investigation being conducted by the ED.

–IANS

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