The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) apprehended the sixth suspect linked to the killing of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s aide, Chandranath Rath, from Ballia district, Uttar Pradesh. Identified as 35-year-old Navin Kumar Singh, the arrest was made through a collaborative effort between the CBI and Uttar Pradesh Police. The weapon seized from Navin Kumar Singh is being examined forensically to determine if it matches the one used in Chandranath Rath’s murder.
On a previous occasion, the CBI arrested the fifth suspect, 40-year-old Vinay Rai alias Pumpum Rai, in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The alleged primary shooter, Rajkumar Singh, was also apprehended in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, with the aid of the local police. Before the CBI’s involvement, the West Bengal Police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) had detained three other suspects – Mayank Raj Mishra, Vicky Maurya, and Raj Singh – in connection with Chandranath Rath’s homicide.
Chandranath Rath, a 41-year-old ex-Indian Air Force member, was fatally shot in Madhyamgram, North 24 Parganas district, on May 6, shortly after the West Bengal Assembly election results were announced. Seated in a car, Rath was attacked by unidentified assailants on a motorcycle who quickly fled the scene after the shooting. Despite immediate medical attention, Rath succumbed to his injuries, while the driver of the vehicle was also hurt during the incident.
Following the murder, the West Bengal Police formed an SIT to investigate and arrested two suspects from Uttar Pradesh and a purported sharpshooter from Buxar, Bihar. Due to the severity and sensitivity of the crime, the case was transferred to the CBI, which has invoked various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, including those related to murder, criminal conspiracy, and organized crime. The Arms Act’s provisions have also been invoked in connection with the case, with ongoing investigations currently in progress.
