In a significant breakthrough in the murder case of Chandranath Rath, Personal Assistant to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, one of the prime accused, Gyanendra Pratap Singh alias Manu, has surrendered before a court in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh. The court has remanded him to 14 days of CBI custody.
According to investigative sources, Singh has a long history of involvement in criminal and anti-social activities, with at least 12 cases registered against him at various police stations. A non-bailable arrest warrant had been issued against him on May 25 in connection with the murder.
Investigators had identified Gyanendra through CCTV footage recovered from the area following the incident, in which he was clearly seen. Since then, CBI teams had been conducting multiple raids at his residence and questioning his family members. Under sustained pressure from the investigation, the accused eventually surrendered before the court.
Reacting to the development, Gyanendra’s wife claimed that her husband had been falsely implicated. “My husband is being framed as part of a conspiracy. However, we have full faith in the CBI and the legal system,” she said.
The murder dates back to the night of May 6, when Rath was returning home after completing his work at Nizam Palace. According to investigators, the assailants had been tailing his vehicle from Nizam Palace and intercepted it at Madhyamgram, North 24 Parganas. Rath was then shot at point-blank range in a swift and coordinated attack that lasted barely 50 seconds. He died on the spot, while his driver sustained serious injuries.
Preliminary findings suggest that the killing was meticulously planned following prolonged surveillance of the victim’s movements. Investigators suspect the involvement of a professional shooter from outside the state, although they have not ruled out the role of local accomplices.
Officials believe that the assailants’ ability to escape quickly through the area’s narrow lanes indicates possible assistance from individuals familiar with the locality. Several suspects have already been detained and questioned in connection with the case.
Despite these developments, the exact motive behind the targeted killing remains unclear, and investigators continue to probe all possible angles in what is being treated as a high-profile case.
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