He also referred to a farmhouse in Singur, an event management firm registered in Senโs wifeโs name and alleged extortion of money from artists. โThese systemic thieves must go to jail. The net will soon widen to reach even more prominent figures,โ he added.
Adhikari further alleged that Sen had not always been close to the TMC, claiming that he was previously associated with the CPI(M). โThese people change their colours from time to time,โ he said, alleging that Sen began praising the government after the political transition.
Hitting back, Mamata-AITC MP Abhishek Banerjee issued a brief statement saying, ‘Under the BJPโs rule today, those who fight without selling their conscience are the ones being sent to jail. Meanwhile, thieves and fraudsters are forgiven for even the gravest crimes as soon as they take up the BJP flag. This is the new India of Modiji.’
The arrest also triggered criticism from the CPI(M), whose spokesperson Shatarup Ghosh questioned Adhikariโs credibility and alleged that political loyalties could influence who faced prosecution. โI am sure that had Indranil Sen joined the Ritabrata Banerjee (rival TMC) camp, he would not have been arrested today,โ Ghosh said.
Mamata-AITC leader Sobhandeb Chatterjee defended Sen, saying royalty paid to Banerjee for her songs and lyrics through accounts associated with Senโs companies was โabsolutely legalโ. Chatterjee said he did not know whether Sen had committed any wrongdoing, but added that anyone found guilty must face the consequences. He also criticised what he described as an increasingly undemocratic political environment.
The case centres on allegations that Sen and his wife Madhuchhanda Sen were connected to an organisation called MassArt, which allegedly sold Durga Puja preview tickets and privileged-entry passes using UNESCOโs name and logo without an authorised commercial agreement.
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