Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 11 : Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of Chandranath Rath in West Bengal's Madhyamgram, police said on Monday.
According to a press release, the arrests were made in connection with Madhyamgram Police Station Case No. 353 dated May 6, registered under sections 103(1), 111(2)(a), 126(2), 3(5) and 61(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) read with sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act.
Police said Mayank Raj Mishra and Vicky Maurya were detained from Buxar in Bihar, while Raj Singh was detained from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh on May 10 based on specific leads developed during the investigation.
Following interrogation, all three were formally arrested by Madhyamgram Police Station on Monday morning.
Further investigation into the case is underway.
Earlier, Chandranath Rath, a former Indian Air Force personnel who had been serving as Suvendu Adhikari's personal assistant, was shot dead near Madhyamgram on May 6 in the late night. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Reacting to the incident earlier, Suvendu Adhikari termed it a "premeditated murder," alleging that Rath was targeted due to his proximity to him and his win against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur. He claimed, "This was a planned operation. A recce was conducted for several days, and the victim was followed before being shot at close range."
"No matter how much we condemn the way this murder was carried out, it is not enough. He was killed because he was my aide, and I defeated Mamata Banerjee in Bhabanipur. This could be the reason for his murder," Adhikar said.
The Trinamool Congress has, earlier, demanded a court-monitored CBI investigation into the incident, calling for an impartial and thorough inquiry.
The West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee on Thursday also demanded an independent investigation under judicial supervision into the murder of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's personal assistant Chandranath Rath, seeking strict punishment for all those involved in the incident.
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