The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Kolkata Police and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are examining financial transactions involving former West Bengal minister Indranil Sen, his family members and their business entities to establish how the alleged multi-crore fake UNESCO-tagged Durga Puja pass scam handled its money transactions and identify other beneficiaries.
At A Glance
-
Investigators found unusually low balances and limited financial activity in five personal bank accounts belonging to Indranil Sen.
-
Large-value transactions surfaced in accounts held by his family members and business entities linked to them.
-
The SIT and ED are examining the money trail to identify other beneficiaries of the multi-crore fake Puja pass racket.
Investigators probing the multi-crore fake UNESCO-tagged Durga Puja pass scam have detected a pattern that allegedly helped former West Bengal minister Indranil Sen keep his personal bank accounts away from suspicious financial transactions. Preliminary findings indicate that Sen relied on accounts held by family members and business entities associated with them to route money linked to the alleged racket.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Kolkata Police and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are examining these financial links to establish the flow of funds and identify individuals who may have benefited from the alleged fraud.
Sen, who earlier served as Tourism Minister and Minister of State for Information and Cultural Affairs, remains in police custody as investigators pursue the financial trail.
Five personal bank accounts show limited activity
Investigators examined five personal bank accounts held by Sen. They found unusually low balances and little financial activity over the past few years.
A Kolkata Police source said the accounts showed no significant deposits or withdrawals during the last couple of years.
However, investigators found a contrasting pattern in accounts held by Sen’s family members and their associated companies.
Police reportedly detected substantial inward and outward transactions in these accounts. The contrast between the limited activity in Sen’s personal accounts and the sizeable transactions involving family-linked accounts has drawn the attention of investigators.
A police source said the transaction patterns helped the investigating team understand how the former minister allegedly kept his personal banking records away from financial dealings connected with the scam.
Investigators suspect that this arrangement may have helped Sen avoid direct financial links with transactions associated with the alleged racket.
ED examines financial trail for other beneficiaries
The Enforcement Directorate has also taken note of the transaction patterns detected by Kolkata Police.
Officials of the central agency are now conducting a detailed examination of the identified bank accounts.
The ED is tracing transactions through accounts held by Sen’s family members and their businesses.
The agency aims to track the money trail and identify other beneficiaries of the multi-crore scam.
Investigators are examining how the alleged proceeds moved between individuals and companies.
The findings could reveal the racket’s scale and expose more beneficiaries.
Mass Art secretary remains in police custody
Meanwhile, Sen remains in police custody and is scheduled to appear before a city court on November 10.
On Thursday, the same court remanded Dhrybojyoti Basu, secretary of Mass Art, to police custody until November 13.
Mass Art allegedly served as the platform through which the fake Durga Puja passes were sold. The organisation is owned by Sen’s wife, Madhuchhanda Sen.
Basu’s custody is expected to help investigators examine the organisation’s alleged role in the sale of counterfeit passes and establish its financial connections with the other individuals under investigation.
SIT questions Sen and Basu together
The SIT is currently interrogating Sen and Basu as part of its efforts to gather additional evidence in the case.
Investigators are questioning the two accused separately and also conducting joint interrogations at times. The team hopes that questioning them together will help establish further links and clarify their respective roles in the alleged racket.
A Kolkata Police source said the investigating officers are concentrating on collecting as much evidence-based information as possible.
Police aim to present strong evidence in court to oppose Sen’s bail.
The SIT is probing the financial transactions and Mass Art’s alleged role to uncover the full scam network.
The SIT and ED are examining family-linked accounts and business transactions to trace the scam money. (Edited by Enewstime Desk)