As the investigation into the murder of Chandranath Rath, the personal assistant of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, unfolds, it has been revealed that the car used in the crime was brought from Jharkhand, and money was transferred online from that vehicle, according to a senior police officer. The search for the suspects is ongoing, with no arrests made yet.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising officers from the Special Task Force (STF), Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and the state police’s Intelligence department has been established by the West Bengal Police to probe Chandranath’s killing. The team has also traveled to Uttar Pradesh in pursuit of the suspects.
Authorities are optimistic that the various leads being pursued will soon lead to the apprehension of Chandranath’s killer and the individuals responsible for the crime. In addition to collecting CCTV footage from the Bali toll plaza for examination, efforts are being made to gather more information from the online payment transaction.
Police officers are currently questioning several individuals in connection with the murder case. Chandranath was fatally shot in Madhyamgram of North 24 Parganas district on May 6, when assailants on two bikes opened fire on his car after it was blocked by another vehicle, resulting in his immediate death. His driver, who was also shot, remains hospitalized.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has accused the Trinamool Congress of involvement in the incident, while the latter has denounced the attack and called for a Central Bureau of Investigation probe under court supervision. Authorities believe the plan to kill Chandranath was devised over a month and a half ago, and are exploring possible motives and any disputes he may have had.
On the day of the crime, the police seized the car used in the murder, which had a fake number plate, and later recovered two motorcycles belonging to the perpetrators, also with counterfeit plates, indicating an attempt to mislead the investigation.
