Bengal: SIT arrests second accused in fake Durga Puja pass scam
text_fields
Kolkata: Kolkata Police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) has arrested a senior executive of “Mass Art” in connection with an alleged multi-crore scam involving counterfeit passes for Durga Puja events carrying UNESCO recognition.
The accused, Dhrubojyoti Basu, was detained on Wednesday night after remaining on the run for nearly a week. Police said he was named in the original FIR and went underground following the arrest of former state Tourism Minister Indranil Sen.
Basu is the second prominent person to be held in the case. Investigators allege that he and Sen used “Mass Art” to sell unauthorised passes by presenting them as legitimate access to UNESCO-linked festival programmes.
Although the company officially lists Sen’s wife, Madhuchhanda Sen, as its head, police sources claim the business was conceived and run by the former minister and Basu. The SIT believes the two built an elaborate network through the firm to profit from passes that had no official validity.
Madhuchhanda Sen has also been named as an accused. She has, however, obtained anticipatory bail from the Calcutta High Court and has not been taken into custody, despite being questioned on two occasions. Officials added that the couple’s daughter, Averi Sen, and companies associated with her are also being examined as part of the financial and administrative probe.
Sen, who is currently in police custody, faces daily questioning by investigators. Nine others, including his wife, have so far been examined in connection with the alleged fraud.
The former minister is expected to appear before a Kolkata court on November 10. Police said forensic material and documentary evidence are being collected to strengthen the case and oppose any bail plea at the hearing.
The investigation is being conducted simultaneously by the Kolkata Police and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Sen was first picked up by city police outside the ED office in Salt Lake, on Kolkata’s northern outskirts, last week.
(Inputs from IANS)