Kolkata Police have registered an FIR against former tourism minister Indranil Sen and others based on a complaint alleging they falsely claimed a private company was associated with Unesco to extort money during Durga Puja.

The accused include Sen, his wife and two others.

According to the complaint lodged by Jaydeep Mukherjee, who described himself as an “international travel consultant”, Sen and others incorporated an organisation in the name of Mahanirban Road Mass Art Society in June, 2022.

“Since 2022, the aforesaid organisation falsely claimed to be the official partners of Unesco to promote Durga Puja in the state of West Bengal…,” the complaint states

The accused allegedly sold tickets worth ₹4,000 for preview shows of select Durga Puja pandals in Calcutta selected by a local organisation falsely claiming association with Unesco.

“Such false claims of association with a reputable international organisation, along with a false claim of visits by international delegations to the 24 selected Durga Puja pandals, were made to cheat the public at large by selling tickets,” Mukherjee has alleged.

He further alleged that the organisation was supported by the Bengal government’s ministry of tourism and the ministry of information and culture.

“I am not connected with the Mahanirban Road Mass Art Society. My wife is associated in her individual capacity. I have attended some of their events involving persons with physical disabilities. I have spoken to my wife and seen the documents. They have clearance from Unesco. I do not understand why a private tour operator is making such false allegations,” Sen told Metro.

One of the officials of the Mahanirban Road Mass Art Society told reporters that the allegations were false and that they had all the relevant documents to present before the police.

The complainant also alleged that the accused organisation conducted tours across Puja pandals for those who purchased tickets, “making the pandals exclusively available to them and creating confusion and conflict inside pandals, and causing humiliation to those who could not purchase the tickets”.

An official attached to the Mahanirban Road Mass Art Society refuted the allegations and said: “This is an absolutely false allegation that the tours conducted used to deprive others from seeing the idols. The trip we conducted started before Mahalaya and used to end on Prathama. So there is no question of causing inconvenience to people who visit pandals.”