Court Orders Police Custody for Suspects in West Bengal Aide's Murder

Court Decision on Suspects' Custody

A court in Barasat has remanded three individuals into police custody for 13 days in connection with the murder of Chandranath Rath, a personal assistant to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The accused—Mayank Raj Mishra, Vicky Maurya, and Raj Singh—were presented before the judiciary following their arrests in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, and will remain in custody until May 24. Public prosecutor Bivas Chatterjee stated that the prosecution also requested additional charges related to evidence destruction, which the court has accepted.

Details of the Arrests

The arrests were made concerning case number 353 registered at the Madhyamgram police station on May 6, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Arms Act. Mishra and Maurya were apprehended in Buxar, Bihar, while Singh was arrested in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, on May 10 based on the investigation. Following interrogation on Monday morning, all three were formally charged.

Circumstances Surrounding the Murder

Chandranath Rath, a former Indian Air Force personnel and aide to Adhikari, was shot late at night on May 6 near Madhyamgram and succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. Adhikari has labeled the incident as a premeditated murder, alleging that Rath was targeted due to his connections and his political victory over former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhawanipur. Adhikari previously stated, 'This was a planned operation. The victim was closely followed after days of reconnaissance before being shot.' The ruling Trinamool Congress has called for a fair investigation and has demanded a CBI inquiry under judicial supervision. The West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee has also urged for an independent investigation with strict penalties for those involved.