Kolkata
-Swastika Sruti
Central agencies are deepening their probe into the Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case after a fresh arrest linked Uttar Pradesh and Bihar crime networks with political violence in West Bengal. The Central Bureau of Investigation has taken into custody a suspected contract shooter, highlighting how a planned hit targeted Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s close aide only two days after the 2026 Assembly result.
The CBI arrested Rajkumar Singh on 18 May 2026 in the Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case, linking Uttar Pradesh and Bihar crime networks to the 6 May 2026 killing of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s aide following the West Bengal election results.
The latest twist came on 18 May 2026, when the CBI picked up Rajkumar Singh, described as the fourth accused in the Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case, from the Delhi-Dehradun highway. Investigators say earlier arrests had already pointed to a cross-state operation, and the new detention may help clarify the chain of command behind the killing.
Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case: How the contract killing was executed
The attack on Chandranath Rath happened on the night of 6 May 2026 in the Dohria area of Madhyamgram, North 24 Parganas, as Rath returned home in a Mahindra Scorpio. Just about 200 metres from the house, a silver Nissan Micra blocked the vehicle and two bike-borne assailants opened fire at point-blank range with Glock pistols.
Bullets struck Chandranath Rath in the chest and abdomen, while driver Budhadev Bera was also injured. The shooters fled in under 50 seconds, according to investigators. Rath was rushed to hospital but declared dead on arrival. The CBI and West Bengal Police both treat the Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case as a carefully planned contract killing with detailed reconnaissance.
Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case: Political backdrop and digital evidence trail
Rath earlier served in the Indian Air Force and later became a trusted personal assistant to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. Rath worked closely on key electoral battles, including Nandigram and Bhabanipur. The murder took place barely two days after the Bharatiya Janata Party’s victory in the 2026 Assembly elections and Suvendu Adhikari’s elevation as Chief Minister.
This timing triggered allegations of political assassination and post-poll score settling. According to officials, the killers used fake number plates and left a digital trail through UPI toll payments. These transactions, combined with CCTV footage, mobile location records and witness statements, are forming the backbone of the CBI’s reconstruction of events in the Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case.
Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case: Who is accused shooter Rajkumar Singh?
Rajkumar Singh, now in CBI custody, belongs to Rattopur village in Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh. Officers intercepted the vehicle at Chapar toll plaza on the Delhi-Dehradun highway while Rajkumar travelled with family members returning from Haridwar. After arrest, Rajkumar was taken to West Bengal for interrogation related to the Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case.
Family accounts say Rajkumar previously worked in Mumbai as a crane helper but left that job around eight months earlier and came back to the village. Rajkumar reportedly dropped out after the first year of graduation. Relatives describe Rajkumar as a quiet person who feared father Tribhuvan Narayan Singh and spoke more with mother, and say Rajkumar recently planned to go abroad for work.
According to family statements, Rajkumar left home three days before the arrest without sharing any travel details. The family told the CBI that they received a phone call about the detention and were shocked. They insist they have no links with anyone in West Bengal and had never imagined involvement in a case like the Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case.
Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case: Ram Mandir, criminal past and jail link
Records show Rajkumar faced an earlier criminal case in the village in 2022 involving an assault complaint registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Rajkumar spent time in Ballia jail, where investigators believe Rajkumar met main accused Raj Singh, described locally as a don from Ballia and another key suspect in the Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case.
Rajkumar’s father, electrician Tribhuvan Narayan Singh, worked at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir construction site, adding another angle that investigators are examining. However, the family maintains that the father’s temple work has no connection with the killing. For the CBI, the jail association between Rajkumar and Raj Singh appears more crucial while probing the Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case.
| Accused name | Origin | Alleged role in Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case |
|---|---|---|
| Raj Singh | Ballia, Uttar Pradesh | Described as main accused, alleged gangster link |
| Mayank Raj Mishra | Bihar | Arrested earlier, suspected part of contract network |
| Vicky Maurya | Bihar | Another arrested associate |
| Rajkumar Singh | Ballia, Uttar Pradesh | Newly arrested, suspected main shooter |
Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case: Viral Pawan Singh photo and social media angle
After Rajkumar’s arrest, a photograph showing Rajkumar in a green T-shirt standing beside Bhojpuri actor and BJP leader Pawan Singh spread on social media. Agencies are checking when and where the picture was taken, and whether it suggests any deeper connection to the Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case or is just a casual snapshot.
Rajkumar’s father strongly rejects any close relationship with Pawan Singh, stating that getting photographed with a public figure does not mean friendship or a strong link. The family calls it a simple fan photo. Despite this claim, investigators are cataloguing such images as they map the wider social and political backdrop surrounding the Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case.
Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case: Contract amount, cross-border network and investigation status
Reports suggest the contract for killing Chandranath Rath may have ranged between ₹70 lakh and ₹1 crore, though this figure is still under verification. Investigators are trying to identify who arranged the money, which channels moved it and whether any political or personal feud funded the Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case.
The CBI is also examining how sharpshooters from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were deployed in West Bengal. Officials say the pattern hints at a cross-state criminal network that offers contract gunmen to eliminate political opponents. The case is raising questions about post-poll violence after the 2026 West Bengal elections and whether the Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case is political or personal revenge.
As of 19 May 2026, a Special Investigation Team of the CBI is handling the Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case. Rajkumar has been produced before a Special CBI Court and is under transit remand for questioning. Forensic reports, post-mortem findings and digital evidence are central to the probe, as officers continue searching for the mastermind and remaining associates.
The killing of Chandranath Rath has renewed debate on political violence in West Bengal, where several such incidents have been reported in recent years. Rath’s family is waiting for justice, while observers across India watch the CBI’s next steps in the Suvendu PA Chandranath Murder Case. The investigation underlines how law must act across state borders, no matter where the accused come from.
