The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday apprehended the supposed triggerman in the prominent killing of Chandranath Rath, individual assistant to West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, from Muzaffarnagar in western Uttar Pradesh. The arrest comes days after a West Bengal Police SIT apprehended another suspect in Ayodhya throughout the early phases of the multi-state probe.
< source media ="(min-width:768px)" alt ="CBI and Central Forensic Science Laboratory officials inspect the crime scene in Madhyamgram, North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal. (FILE PHOTO)" > < img src ="https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2026/05/18/400x225/CBI-and-Central-Forensic-Science-Laboratory-offici_1779133048990.jpg"alt ="CBI and Central Forensic Science Laboratory officials inspect the crime scene in Madhyamgram, North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal. (FILE PHOTO)"title ="CBI and Central Forensic Science Laboratory officials inspect the crime scene in Madhyamgram, North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal. (FILE PHOTO)"width ="360"height ="202"loading ="eager">The implicated, determined as Rajkumar Singh of Ratopur town in Ballia district, was obstructed near the Chhapar toll plaza while supposedly returning from Haridwar with his household, authorities stated. CBI groups, acting upon technical monitoring and intelligence about his motions, laid a trap and took him into custody without resistance. He was produced before the chief judicial magistrate, which gave the company a 24-hour transit remand for questioning and move rules.
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The FIR in the event was signed up by the CBI on May 12, and the company has actually made up a seven‑member unique examination group (SIT) led by an officer of DIG rank to penetrate the killing.
The most recent arrest follows the arrest made on May 10 by the West Bengal Police SIT of another implicated, Raj Singh, who was gotten in Ayodhya after a multi-state manhunt. Raj Singh hails Ballia now living in Buxar, Bihar, and has actually been connected to logistical preparation.
Authorities stated Rajkumar Singh is believed to be the primary shooter. His arrest follows disclosures by 2 earlier detainees– Vishal Srivastava and Mayank Mishra, jailed from Buxar district– which assisted map the network presumably associated with the operation.
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Rath was shot dead in Kolkata on May 6, setting off a probe that now covers West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. In its preliminary queries, the Bengal SIT depended on call information records, area analysis and digital security. Raids were performed in Ayodhya and Pratapgarh after leads pointed to possible Uttar Pradesh links associating with the car utilized in the attack.
Authorities stated an automobile connected with the criminal offense bore a number plate signed up to Siliguri resident James Williams. Williams had actually supposedly promoted his Nissan Micra for sale and got questions from Uttar Pradesh contacts, triggering suspicion that the enemies utilized cloned or phony plates to hide the genuine cars and truck and avert detection.
Authorities informed press reporters they are scrutinising WhatsApp talks, other digital exchanges and call logs connected to Uttar Pradesh contacts. They think the killing was performed by an arranged, interstate group of about 8 individuals, consisting of declared sharpshooters and logistical planners who remained in contact through a WhatsApp group throughout the operation.
More arrests are anticipated as the CBI and state firms continue to decipher the broader conspiracy, authorities stated.