The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will take over the investigation into the Chandranath Rath assassination case, officials confirmed on Tuesday, 12 May. A 7-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by a DIG-rank officer, will lead the probe after the agency formally receives the case from the West Bengal Police later in the day.

Key Developments

The handover follows a recommendation by the Bengal Police itself for a CBI inquiry — an unusual step that signals the political sensitivity surrounding the case. On Monday, the West Bengal Police SIT arrested three sharpshooters from Uttar Pradesh and produced them before a district court in Barasat, North 24 Parganas. The court remanded them to police custody until 24 May.

According to sources, the three accused were quietly brought to Kolkata on Sunday night and taken to the state police headquarters at Bhabani Bhavan in South Kolkata, where investigating officials interrogated them through the night.

How the Murder Unfolded

Chandranath Rath, the personal assistant of West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, was shot dead on the night of 6 May at Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas. He was returning home from a party programme when his vehicle was blocked by a four-wheeler at a crossing. Two motorcycles had reportedly been shadowing his vehicle for an extended period before the attack.

According to the initial investigation, once Rath's vehicle was stopped, an assailant on one of the motorcycles fired ten rounds at close range. Rath died on the spot, while his driver, Buddhadeb Bera, sustained critical injuries. Bera is reportedly recovering. Subsequent investigation found that the number plates on both the blocking four-wheeler and the two motorcycles were fake.

Political Context

The murder occurred just two days after the West Bengal Assembly election results were declared on 4 May, in which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 207 Assembly constituencies, reducing the erstwhile ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) to 80 seats. The timing has added a charged political dimension to the case.

Suvendu Adhikari claimed that Rath was targeted because of his association with the leader who defeated former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Bhabanipur in South Kolkata by a margin of over 15,000 votes. The claim has not been independently verified, and investigators have not publicly attributed a motive.

What Happens Next

With the CBI now at the helm, the investigation is expected to widen in scope, particularly given that the arrested sharpshooters are from Uttar Pradesh, suggesting a possible inter-state conspiracy angle. The agency's SIT will likely examine the logistics of the operation — including the sourcing of the fake number plates and the coordination between the four-wheeler and the motorcycles — as well as the chain of command behind the contract killing. All eyes will be on what the CBI uncovers before the 24 May remand deadline.