NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation will take over the murder probe into the killing of Chandranath Rath, an aide to Suvendu Adhikari.After the Bengal Police recommended a CBI probe in the case, the central agency formed a seven-member team led by DIG Pankaj Singh.“The investigation into the murder of West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari, PA Chandranath Rath, has been transferred to CBI. CBI has constituted a seven-member SIT led by a DIG-rank officer,” the central investigating agency said.Days after the assembly polls, Adhikari’s personal assistant Chandranath Rath was killed in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas.Rath was shot dead by motorcycle-borne assailants who tailed his vehicle, forced it to stop, and opened fire in full public view at around 10.30 pm before fleeing.According to eyewitnesses, Rath’s car was first stopped at the Doharia junction near Doltala by a four-wheeler, following which a motorcycle rider approached the vehicle and began shooting.Earlier on Monday, a Special Investigation Team camping in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar nabbed three persons in connection with the incident. One of the accused has been identified as the alleged sharpshooter.All three accused were brought to Kolkata late on Sunday night and produced before a Barasat court. The court sent them to police custody till May 24.“Three suspects have so far been arrested in connection with the gruesome murder of Chandranath Rath on May 6 at Madhyamgram. Based on specific leads, two persons — Mayank Raj Mishra and Vicky Maurya — were detained from Buxar in Bihar. A third accused, Raj Singh, was detained from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday. Following interrogation, all three were arrested this morning by Madhyamgram police station,” a CID press release said.Sources claimed that Raj Singh has been identified as the possible sharpshooter, though police said further investigation is required to establish this.In the Barasat court, special public prosecutor Bivas Chatterjee informed the court that the accused had entered the city through Bally Nivedita Setu and paid the toll using UPI. The payment was made using the SIM card of one of the accused, though the SIM card was being used in another person’s phone.“However, we got a registered mobile number linked to the UPI payment and used the lead to nab the accused,” Chatterjee said.
