UP, Bihar links emerge in murder of Suvendu's aide, 3 suspects arrested so far

At least three people have been arrested in connection to the May 6 murder of Chandranath Rath, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's aide. The probe has now expanded to UP and Bihar.

In Short

• Murder probe of Chandranath Rath spans West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar
• Bengal and UP Police arrest suspects in Bihar's Buxas
• Investigators also tracking UPI toll payment near Kolkata as evidence

The investigation into the murder of Chandranath Rath, a close aide of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, has now expanded across multiple states, with police tracing links to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Since the May 6 murder, police have arrested three suspects so far.

In a major breakthrough, Kolkata and Ayodhya Police jointly arrested Raj Singh, a resident of Ballia in Uttar Pradesh, who was reportedly living in Bihar’s Buxar district.

Investigators said Singh had gone into hiding in Ayodhya after the murder on May 6. Following his arrest, he was brought to Kolkata for further questioning.

As part of the widening probe, the West Bengal Special Task Force (STF) also carried out raids in Buxar.

During the operation, the STF detained Vishal Srivastava, a notorious criminal with multiple cases registered against him under murder and Arms Act charges.

Srivastava was taken to Kolkata and interrogated by the STF. However, officials later released him after questioning.

According to investigators, at least eight people were involved in the conspiracy and execution of Rath's killing.

Meanwhile, the probe has also uncovered a crucial digital trail.

A UPI payment allegedly made by suspects at a toll plaza near Bally, close to Kolkata, has emerged as a key lead in the case. Investigators are examining CCTV footage from the toll booth to trace the movement of the accused before and after the killing.

Police believe the digital transaction could help identify the suspects and reconstruct the escape route used after the attack.

Rath, a former Air Force officer, was shot dead near his residence in Madhyamgram in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district. As per investigators, Rath’s SUV was intercepted around 200 metres from his home after a silver Nissan Micra blocked the vehicle’s path.

As the SUV stopped, bike-borne assailants allegedly opened fire at close range, fatally shooting Rath, who was seated in the front passenger seat.

Investigators suspect the attackers had prior knowledge of Rath’s movements and seating position, indicating that the murder was carefully planned.

Police have since recovered the silver Nissan Micra believed to have been used in the crime, along with two motorcycles — one found near the crime scene and another recovered from Barasat.

Preliminary investigation suggests that the vehicles used in the attack and escape may have been stolen.

- Ends