The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the murder of Chandranath Rath has arrested three accused from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, with investigators claiming the killing was carried out using hired “supari killers” in a carefully planned operation.
Rath, a close aide and personal assistant to Suvendu Adhikari, was shot dead on a public road just three days before Adhikari’s swearing-in ceremony as chief minister.
According to police sources, the SIT arrested alleged sharp shooter Raj Singh from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday night. Two other accused, identified as Mayank Raj Mishra and Vicky Maurya, were arrested from Buxar in Bihar.
Investigators claim the three accused were directly involved in Rath’s murder.
The accused were produced before the Barasat court on Monday under heavy security arrangements, with RAF personnel and a large police contingent deployed in and around the court premises.
Following an in-camera hearing, the court remanded the three accused to 13 days of police custody. They are scheduled to be produced before the court again on May 24.
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Police Probe Financial Trail Behind Murder
Special Public Prosecutor Vibhas Chattopadhyay said the investigation was being conducted with strict secrecy because of its sensitive nature.
“It is not possible to say everything right now. More details will be revealed as the investigation progresses. We had requested police custody for the three, and the court has granted that request,” Chattopadhyay told reporters outside the court.
According to police sources, accused sharp shooter Raj Singh was allegedly paid a substantial amount of money to execute the murder. Investigators said Singh has multiple criminal cases registered against him under the Arms Act.
The probe has also uncovered financial links allegedly connected to the operation. Police sources claimed toll plaza payments made during the movement of the accused before the killing were carried out through UPI transactions linked to the bank account of arrested accused Mayank Raj Mishra.
Investigators are now examining the financial trail to identify those who may have masterminded the murder plot.
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Attack Executed In Less Than A Minute
The killing took place on May 6 in Madhyamgram, two days after the West Bengal Assembly election results were announced.
According to investigators, the operation was executed with precision and completed within around 50 seconds.
Police said the attackers first blocked Rath’s vehicle before approaching from both sides on motorcycles and surrounding the car. Multiple rounds were then fired at close range before the assailants fled the scene.
The attack and escape were captured on CCTV cameras installed in the area.
Political Allegations Intensify
The murder has triggered sharp political reactions in the state.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari alleged political motives behind the killing and linked the incident to his political rivalry with Mamata Banerjee.
“He was killed only because he was an aide of BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, and because Suvendu Adhikari defeated Mamata Banerjee in Bhawanipur,” Adhikari said.
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Investigators, however, said several questions remain unanswered, including the identity of the individuals who hired the alleged contract killers and the broader conspiracy behind the attack.
Police officials indicated that further raids and operations could be conducted in multiple states based on the interrogation of the arrested accused.
