A 39-year-old suspect from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh, wanted in connection with the May 6 murder of a close aide to West Bengal CM and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, has surfaced in a video message claiming innocence and expressing willingness to surrender before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The suspect, identified as Gyanendra Singh alias Monu, alleged in the video that three other individuals — Mukesh Kumar Singh alias Duldul, Nishant Singh alias Nikku, and Sandeep Singh alias Munmun — were the primary conspirators behind the killing of Chandranath Rath, Adhikari’s personal assistant. He claimed that they possess crucial information regarding financial transactions linked to the alleged contract killing.
Rath was shot dead at Doharia in Madhyamgram, triggering a high-profile investigation initially handled by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of West Bengal Police. The SIT had earlier arrested three individuals, including one who was later released due to mistaken identity, while two others were apprehended from Buxar in Bihar and produced before a Barasat court.
After the probe was handed over to the CBI, further arrests were made, including Rajkumar Singh and Vinay Rai alias Pampam from Ballia and Varanasi, respectively.
In his video statement, Gyanendra claimed that he had minimal involvement, stating that he was approached around two months ago by the three accused at the Ballia district court and was asked to accompany them to West Bengal.
“I only drove the vehicle up to Ghazipur. After that, I have no knowledge of where the vehicle went or how it was used,” he said.
However, investigators have linked him to key developments in the case. According to probe findings, Gyanendra had allegedly purchased a Nissan Micra shortly before the murder and later visited a residence in Ballia to conceal a bag containing multiple firearms and ammunition. The cache reportedly included automatic pistols, locally manufactured weapons, and dozens of live cartridges.
Statements recorded by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) indicate that the bag also contained a smartphone believed to have been used during the execution of the murder. The weapons and other materials were later recovered, with the process documented by investigators.
CBI officials said that Gyanendra has a criminal history spanning multiple states, with at least 11 prior cases, including several murder charges.
Meanwhile, during interrogation, co-accused Rajkumar Singh reportedly admitted to disposing of the firearm used in the killing, along with a mobile phone, in the Hooghly River. Investigators are also examining possible financial transactions, suspecting that payments may have been made to hired assailants.
Despite these developments, the CBI has not officially disclosed the motive behind the killing. However, leads related to financial links and coordination among the accused are being actively pursued.
In his video, Gyanendra urged investigators to examine the assets, bank accounts, and communications of the three individuals he named, claiming that “important facts” would emerge from such scrutiny.
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