SIT Arrests Three in Chandranath Rath Murder Case

Three people have been arrested in connection with the murder of Chandranath Rath, an aide of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, police officials said on Monday. The arrests were made by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the killing that took place in Madhyamgram in the North 24 Parganas district on May 6.

According to investigators, the accused were traced using digital evidence and interstate leads. One suspect, identified as Vishal Srivastava, was traced to Buxar, while two others were arrested in Uttar Pradesh. Police suspect that one of the accused may be a sharpshooter involved in the planned attack.

The accused were produced before a court in Barasat and remanded to 13 days of police custody until May 24. They have been booked under multiple sections related to murder, criminal conspiracy, illegal possession of arms, and destruction of evidence.

Investigators believe that at least eight individuals may have been involved in planning and executing the crime. Officials said the attackers allegedly used forged vehicle registration plates and tampered with engine and chassis numbers to avoid detection.

A key breakthrough reportedly came from a UPI transaction made at the Bali Toll Plaza by one of the suspects while travelling in the vehicle believed to have been used in the crime. Police said the digital trail helped identify a mobile number and trace the accused.

Officials are also examining possible interstate and international links after reports suggested the weapon used in the attack was an Austrian-made Glock pistol. The SIT continues to conduct raids across multiple locations to track down other suspects in the case.