Kolkata/Mumbai : In a Major breakthrough the West Bengal Police and CID have arrested three suspects in connection with the high-profile assassination of Chandranath Rath, the Personal Assistant (PA) to the newly elected Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The arrests were made following coordinated raids across Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, revealing a meticulously planned conspiracy that was eventually undone by a single digital oversight by the assailants.
The Assassination and Initial Investigation
The incident occurred late on Wednesday night, May 6, shortly after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a majority in the West Bengal Assembly elections, ending the 15-year rule of the TMC. Chandranath Rath was intercepted and shot dead by unidentified gunmen, an event that sent shockwaves through the state’s political corridors and triggered concerns regarding post-poll violence.
Given the gravity of the case, a special task force and CID teams were deployed. The investigation took a decisive turn at the Bali Toll Plaza in Howrah district. Surveillance footage identified a silver hatchback used by the killers to tail and intercept Rath’s SUV.
Digital Footprint: The UPI Transaction
The breakthrough came when investigators discovered that the suspects, while fleeing the crime scene, had opted to pay the toll at the Bali Plaza via a Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transaction instead of cash. This digital footprint provided the police with a registered mobile number linked to the bank account.
By tracking this number and analying technical data, the police traced the suspects to neighboring states. Mayank Raj Mishra and Vicky Maurya were apprehended from Buxar in Bihar, while the third accomplice, Raj Singh, was arrested in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh.
Sophisticated Planning and ‘Cloned’ Vehicles
Technical analysis revealed that the killers had used a “cloned” vehicle a car bearing a forged license plate that mirrored the registration details of a legitimate vehicle registered in Siliguri. The suspects had reportedly copied the registration details from an online car-selling portal to mislead law enforcement.
Furthermore, the investigation uncovered the use of a sophisticated, Austrian-made Glock 47X pistol in the murder. The presence of such high grade foreign weaponry has raised serious alarms within state and central intelligence agencies, suggesting the involvement of organized interstate weapon smuggling syndicates.
The Search for the Mastermind
While the three arrested individuals are believed to be the hired executioners (contract killers) brought in from outside the state, the police are now shifting their focus toward identifying the local handlers and the ultimate mastermind behind the conspiracy.
Authorities are currently investigating multiple angles, including political rivalry, professional disputes, and personal vendettas. The CID is also probing who provided the logistical support, including the cloned vehicle and the high-end weaponry, to ensure the hit was executed with precision. The suspects were produced before a court following their detention by the Madhyamgram police after an intensive interrogation session.
