Kolkata High Court Denies Bail to Former Minister Indranil Sen in Money Laundering Case
The Kolkata High Court has rejected Indranil Sens bail plea amid an ongoing ED investigation into alleged money laundering activities.
Kolkata, October 15 (Daily Kiran) : The Calcutta High Court has denied bail to Indranil Sen, the former tourism minister of West Bengal, in a money laundering case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The ruling was made on Thursday, October 15, 2026.
Indranil Sen, who transitioned from being a singer to a politician, and his wife, Madhuchanda Sen, are accused of selling fake passes for tours that allegedly misused a UNESCO tag during the Durga Puja festival. Initial estimates suggest that the fraudulent transactions could amount to around ₹60 crore.
The investigation began following a complaint lodged at the Bowbazar police station in Kolkata, prompting the ED to register an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) and initiate its own inquiry.
Last month, the central agency conducted raids at multiple locations, including Sen’s residence, the homes of some relatives, and the office of an event manager connected to the case. The ED has questioned Sen twice as part of its investigation.
Concerned about the possibility of arrest, Sen filed a plea for anticipatory bail through his lawyer. The case was presented before Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, who ultimately rejected the bail request after hearing arguments from both sides.
Earlier this month, the ED also implicated former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in a transaction linked to Sen’s company, Octave Records. The agency claimed that approximately ₹30 lakh was allegedly transferred to Banerjee through banking channels, although Sen maintained that the payment was a royalty.
In a related development, a judicial commission formed by the West Bengal government to investigate alleged institutional corruption during the previous Trinamool Congress administration has also initiated an inquiry into a separate matter involving Sen. This commission is examining claims of irregularities worth millions of rupees in the tender process of the state’s Information and Cultural Affairs Department, where Sen previously served as a state minister.
