Kolkata, October 2, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A judicial inquiry commission constituted by the West Bengal government to investigate alleged institutional corruption during the previous Trinamool Congress regime has begun probing former state minister Indranil Sen over alleged multi-crore irregularities in the tendering process of the Information and Cultural Affairs Department.
Sen had served as a Cabinet minister during the previous Mamata Banerjee-led government, holding portfolios that included Minister of State for Information and Cultural Affairs and the state Tourism Minister.
The judicial panel is investigating alleged irregularities in the awarding of contracts for the “Moder Gorob Bangla” (Bengal, Our Pride) project, which was launched during Sen’s tenure in the department.
Confirming the development, a member of the judicial inquiry commission told IANS that the investigation had begun on the basis of specific allegations. However, the member declined to share further details, citing the need to protect the ongoing inquiry.
The “Moder Gorob Bangla” initiative was launched by the West Bengal Information and Cultural Affairs Department to promote the state’s folk culture, handicrafts, history and tourism potential, while creating opportunities for local artists across districts.
As part of the project, fairs, exhibitions and handicraft stalls were organised in different parts of the state, with events held in every district.
The judicial panel reportedly received a complaint alleging that tenders for fairs and exhibitions organised under the project in 2022 and 2023 were awarded to a select group of organisations allegedly close to Sen.
The complaint further alleged that Sen had used his influence to facilitate the allocation of contracts worth crores of rupees to entities of his choice, some of which were allegedly linked to his relatives.
Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting a separate investigation into two corporate entities linked to Sen and his wife, Madhuchhanda Sen.
One of the entities, Mass Art, is accused of issuing passes for “Durga Puja Preview Shows” using the name and logo of UNESCO without the organisation’s authorisation.
The second entity, Octave Records, is a proprietorship firm owned by Sen. The ED has also named former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in connection with its investigation.
The judicial inquiry into the alleged tender irregularities is separate from the ED’s ongoing probe into the entities linked to Sen and his wife.
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