WB Polls: Barasat Court Sends Three Accused In Killing Of Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari's PA To 13-Day Police Custody

A court at Barasat in North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, on Monday remanded three accused arrested in connection with the murder of Chandranath Rath, close aide and personal assistant of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, to police custody for further investigation. The Session's court has ordered thirteen days of police custody for all the accused.

The accused — identified as Mayank Raj Mishra, Vicky Maurya and Raj Singh — were produced before the Barasat district court after being arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the West Bengal Police during coordinated operations in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

The prosecution sought custodial interrogation of the accused, contending that the murder appeared to be a “pre-planned contract killing” executed by professional sharpshooters.

Rath, a former Indian Air Force personnel and long-time associate of Adhikari, was shot dead on May 6 near his residence in Madhyamgram. Police have alleged that the assailants intercepted his SUV and opened fire at close range in what investigators described as a highly coordinated attack.

The murder had triggered a major political controversy in West Bengal, with the BJP alleging that Rath was targeted in a politically motivated attack. The then-ruling Trinamool Congress has denied the allegations and called for a proper investigation into the incident.