The Enforcement Directorate (ED) said on September 30 that ₹30 lakh was moved from Octave Records, a firm linked to former West Bengal Information Minister Indranil Sen, into the bank account of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The claim surfaced during the ED's probe into the finances of Mass Art, a cultural arm that sold Durga Puja tickets.
Octave Records had deposited roughly ₹3.8 crore into Sen's and the company's accounts during his tenure. According to the ED, the 30 lakh was paid as a royalty, a point the former minister accepted during questioning.
Mamata Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh dismissed the allegation, arguing that Banerjee's income came from legitimate royalties on her songs and was subject to TDS and tax filing. Ghosh said the funds were paid by cheque or bank transfer, not cash.
The ED has also searched 15 locations in Kolkata under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and is scrutinising over one lakh tickets sold by Mass Art, which claimed UNESCO association. Sen has been summoned for further questioning next week, and the agency is looking into ₹85 crore worth of tenders awarded to companies tied to his allies.