CBI takes over Chandranath Rath murder case:7-member SIT formed, accused Raj Singh, BJP linked leader from UP sparks political controversy

In a major development in the murder investigation of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s close aide Chandranath Rath, the case has now been transferred to the CBI, which has constituted a 7-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to take over the probe. CBI takes over high profile probe Chandranath Rath was shot dead on May 6, just two days after the election results, in broad daylight on a road in Madhyamgram, West Bengal. He was attacked with multiple bullets that hit his abdomen, chest, and head. He succumbed to his injuries while being taken to the hospital. The driver of the vehicle was also injured in the firing incident, which triggered widespread political tension across the state. 7-member SIT formed According to officials, the state police had initially formed its own SIT and launched an extensive investigation. During the probe, investigators traced digital evidence, including a UPI transaction made at the Bally toll plaza, which led them to Uttar Pradesh. The accused allegedly fled to different states after the murder to evade arrest. Raj Singh, young BJP-linked leader arrested So far, three key arrests have been made, two accused from Uttar Pradesh and one sharpshooter from Buxar in Bihar. Among them is Thakur Raj Singh, a young BJP-linked leader from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh, reportedly associated with state BJP leader Dayashankar Singh and the organisation Sara Bharat Kshatriya Samaj. He had earlier contested civic elections as a BJP candidate for councillor, adding a political dimension to the investigation. The CBI has now formed a dedicated 7-member SIT under DIG Pankaj Kumar Singh. The team includes Subhash Chandra Kundu, Anil Kumar Yadav, Vikas Pathak, Amit Kumar, Kuldeep, and Vivek Srivastava. The unit will operate under the supervision of the Joint Director of the Kolkata zone of the agency. UPI trail leads to Uttar Pradesh link Officials confirmed that the central agency is expected to formally take over the case from the state police on Tuesday. Investigators are now focusing on identifying the larger conspiracy behind the killing, including who financed and coordinated the attack and whether more political or criminal links are involved. ​