India
oi-Swastika Sruti
The investigation into the murder of Chandranath Rath, personal assistant to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, has now been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The CBI is investigating the murder of Chandranath Rath, aide to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, following the arrest of three suspects, including Vishal Srivastava, by West Bengal Police for the May 6 incident in North 24 Parganas.
The case was earlier being investigated by the West Bengal Police. However, the probe was later transferred to the CBI following a recommendation by the West Bengal government.
Officials said the central agency is expected to formally begin the investigation after the Department of Personnel and Training issues the required notification.
CBI Forms Special Investigation Team
Soon after receiving the case, the CBI constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to handle the murder investigation. According to officials, the SIT will be headed by DIG-rank officer Pankaj Kumar Singh from the Delhi CBI unit.
The investigation team will function under the supervision of the Joint Director of the Kolkata CBI unit. The seven-member SIT includes officers from multiple CBI units across the country.
Members Of The CBI SIT
The members of the team are:
- Pankaj Kumar Singh, DIG and Head of Branch, CBI Delhi (Team Leader)
- Subhaeh Chandra Kundu, SP, CBI Delhi
- Anil Kumar Yadav, SP, CBI Delhi
- Vikash Pathak, DSP, CBI Dhanbad
- Amit Kumar, DSP, CBI Patna
- Kuldeep, DSP, CBI Ranchi
- Vivek Srivastava, Inspector, CBI Lucknow
The team is expected to examine all evidence collected so far by the West Bengal Police SIT.
Three Accused Already Arrested
The transfer of the case comes days after the West Bengal Police arrested three individuals in connection with the murder.
The accused were arrested by the state police SIT during operations conducted in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
The arrested men were later brought to West Bengal on transit remand and produced before a court in North 24 Parganas district.
The court remanded all three accused to 13 days of police custody.
Who Are The Arrested Accused?
According to investigators, one of the arrested accused has been identified as Vishal Srivastava, a resident of Pandiyapatti village in Bihar’s Buxar district.
The two other accused are reportedly from Uttar Pradesh.
Police officials suspect that one of the accused may be a professional sharpshooter involved in carrying out the attack.
Investigators said the arrests were made based on technical surveillance, digital tracking and intelligence inputs gathered during the investigation.
How The Attack Happened
Chandranath Rath was shot dead on the night of May 6 in the northern outskirts of Kolkata. The incident took place in the Doharia area of Madhyamgram’s Doltala locality in North 24 Parganas district.
According to police officials, Rath was travelling in a car when motorcycle-borne attackers allegedly followed and intercepted the vehicle.
The assailants reportedly fired at Rath from close range through the rolled-up car window before fleeing the scene.
Rath was seated in the front passenger seat next to the driver at the time of the attack.
Driver Also Injured In Shooting
Rath’s driver also suffered bullet injuries during the attack.
He was immediately shifted to a hospital in Kolkata, where he continues to receive treatment.
Officials earlier described his condition as critical.
Political Attention Around The Case
The murder of Suvendu Adhikari’s close aide triggered major political attention in West Bengal.
Given Rath’s position as executive assistant to the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, the case quickly became politically sensitive.
The transfer of the investigation to the CBI is now expected to intensify the probe further.
Investigation Continues
The CBI is likely to re-examine witness statements, digital evidence, surveillance footage and forensic findings collected so far.
Officials are also expected to investigate whether the murder was linked to political rivalry, personal enmity or a larger conspiracy.
Cases That CBI Failed To Solve:
- Aarushi Talwar Murder Case
- 2G Spectrum Scam
- Sushant Singh Rajput Death Case
- Nithari Killings
