Three Arrested in Connection with West Bengal Aide's Murder
Arrests Made in High-Profile Murder Case
Forensic team officials inspecting Suvendu Adhikari PA's murder site in West Bengal (Photo: PTI)
Kolkata, May 11: In a significant development five days after the murder of Chandranath Rath, an aide to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has apprehended three suspects in Uttar Pradesh.
Among those arrested is Vishal Srivastava, hailing from Pandiyapatti in Bihar’s Buxar district, while the other two are from Uttar Pradesh.
Authorities believe that at least eight individuals were involved in orchestrating and carrying out the murder, with one of the detainees suspected to be a sharpshooter.
The suspects were initially detained on Sunday and subsequently arrested by the SIT, which was formed to investigate the murder that occurred in Madhyamgram, North 24 Parganas, on the night of May 6.
Investigators revealed that the arrests followed the discovery of critical “digital clues and interstate connections” related to the crime.
“This marks a breakthrough. Evidence suggests that the attackers originated from outside West Bengal,” stated a senior police official on Monday.
Utilizing technical surveillance, digital tracking, and other intelligence, SIT members were dispatched to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, according to police reports.
“The three suspects were apprehended in UP and will be transported to West Bengal under transit remand,” the official added.
Current findings indicate that the assailants had conducted thorough surveillance on Rath prior to the attack.
“The murder was meticulously planned. The perpetrators took extensive measures to hide their identities and movements. Investigators are heavily relying on digital footprints, CCTV footage, and technical evidence to reconstruct the events,” the officer noted.
Ongoing interrogations of the arrested individuals are in progress.
Initial investigations suggest that Rath’s vehicle was ambushed near the Doharia area close to Madhyamgram crossing, with a car and a motorcycle involved in the attack.
During the inquiry, investigators discovered that the vehicle allegedly used in the murder had passed through the Bali toll plaza shortly before the incident.
One of the occupants reportedly made a toll payment via a UPI transaction, which has proven to be a vital lead for the investigators.
“This digital payment enabled us to trace a mobile number and identify one of the suspects. The investigation ultimately led our teams to the accused,” the officer explained.
Authorities are currently cross-referencing the identities of the arrested individuals with CCTV footage and images of the vehicle and its occupants captured at the toll plaza.
The SIT has also ramped up operations across various locations in West Bengal to locate additional suspects involved in the conspiracy.
Rath was fatally shot in Madhyamgram on May 6, just two days after the results of the highly contested West Bengal Assembly elections were announced, sparking political outrage and calls for immediate action against those responsible.