Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the brutal killing of Suvendu Adhikari's aide in Madhyamgram, marking a significant breakthrough in the high-profile investigation.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has arrested three individuals in connection with the killing of Chandranath Rath, personal assistant to Suvendu Adhikari. The arrests mark a critical development five days after the gunman attack that occurred barely 170 meters from Adhikari’s residence in Madhyamgram.
The three accused, identified as Mayank Raj Mishra, Vicky Maurya, and Raj Singh, were detained from Buxar in Bihar and Ballia in Uttar Pradesh. They were transported to Kolkata by late Sunday night and produced before a Barasat court on Monday. The court has remanded the three to police custody until May 24 to facilitate deeper interrogation regarding their roles in the gruesome incident.
The breakthrough in the case came through meticulous digital forensics. Special Public Prosecutor Bivas Chatterjee informed the court that the accused traveled to the city via the Bally Nivedita Setu. During this transit, one of the suspects paid a toll fee using the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
Investigators traced this digital footprint to a registered mobile number linked to the UPI payment. However, the SIM card associated with the payment was inserted into another person’s phone, creating a layer of complexity in the tracking. Despite this, the specific lead from the registered number allowed police to pinpoint the location of the suspects.
Sources indicate that Raj Singh, detained from Ballia, is suspected to be the sharpshooter involved in the firing. While police have not officially confirmed his role, they stated that further investigation is required to establish this definitively. The SIT, which has been camping in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, conducted a joint operation with Ayodhya Police to capture Singh near the Ayodhya Highway. Bengal Police Special Task Force ASP Sanjay Verma confirmed the arrest and noted that Singh’s criminal record is currently being scrutinized.
Despite the police claims, the legality of the arrests has been challenged. Harivant Singh, the lawyer for Raj Singh, attended reporters at the Ballia District Court to allege illegal detention. He claimed that no proper transit remand was initially obtained for his client.
To support this claim, the lawyer presented CCTV footage showing Raj Singh at his home in Ballia on April 4, 5, and 6. The footage was used to argue that his client had no connection to the Kolkata murder case, which occurred on May 6. The lawyer maintained that the detention was unlawful from the outset, raising questions about the procedural adherence of the special task force.
The investigation also revealed that mobile tower data collected at the time of the incident identified two numbers from Uttar Pradesh. This geographical link was crucial in narrowing down the suspect pool. In addition to the arrests, the police moved the court to add Section 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to the case, which pertains to the destruction of evidence. This legal addition aims to prevent any tampering with physical or digital evidence linked to the murder.
The Madhyamgram murder case has drawn significant attention due to the proximity of the attack to the residence of a prominent political figure, Suvendu Adhikari. The quick apprehension of the suspects suggests a highly coordinated effort by the Special Investigation Team. However, the defense’s allegations of illegal detention highlight the tension between rapid investigative action and legal due process.
Police sources have refused to define the specific roles of the accused or identify the masterminds behind the killing. "Nothing can be revealed till we question the accused further," stated a top officer, emphasizing the need for the current police custody period. The release of Vishal Srivastava, a criminal from Buxar facing over 22 cases, indicates that investigators are carefully filtering leads. Srivastava was detained but later released after no direct link to the murder was found.
As the investigation continues, the focus remains on extracting confessions and establishing the hierarchy of those involved. The use of UPI data as a primary tool for apprehension sets a precedent for how digital footprints are utilized in high-profile criminal cases in West Bengal. The outcome of the interrogation will likely determine if the case expands to include political motivations or organizational backing for the attack.
The apprehension of the three suspects in the Madhyamgram murder case underscores the growing importance of digital forensics in solving violent crimes. The reliance on UPI transaction logs and mobile tower data provided the tangible leads necessary to break the case open. However, the conflicting narratives between the police and the defense regarding the legality of Raj Singh’s detention remain unresolved. As the accused remain in custody until May 24, the interrogation results will be pivotal. If the sharpshooter is confirmed to be among those arrested, and if links to higher-level conspirators are established, the implications for security protocols around political figures could be significant. The current legal disputes may also lead to further scrutiny of the Special Task Force’s operational guidelines in cross-state operations.
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