Chandranath Rath Murder: CBI Takes Over Probe as Raj Singh Alibi Sparks Fresh Twist
What unfolded was no random road rage. Police described it as a meticulously planned contract killing. Reconnaissance carried out for at least 72 hours, exact knowledge of Rath’s seating position, travel plans, vehicles with tampered chassis numbers and cloned plates, and a sophisticated pistol (reportedly Glock – type). The silver Micra that blocked the SUV had its registration cloned from an OLX advertisement posted by a Siliguri resident, William Joseph, who had listed his car for sale. Investigators recovered the getaway vehicle and two motorcycles, all bearing fake plates. A crucial digital clue, a UPI toll payment at Bally Nivedita Setu shortly before the ambush linked one of the occupants via a SIM tied to the suspects.
The political storm was immediate. BJP leaders, including Adhikari, called it a premeditated political murder amid post-poll tensions following their electoral gains. Rath’s own mother, Hasirani Rath, demanded life imprisonment for the guilty, alleging threats from rivals who claimed even Delhi’s fathers won’t ‘save us’ after the results. Opposition voices pushed back, demanding a fair probe free of political colour.
The Breakthrough Arrests (May 10-11)
West Bengal’s Special Investigation Team comprising CID, Intelligence Branch, and STF officers cracked the case with remarkable speed. In a joint operation with UP and Bihar police, three alleged professional sharpshooters were nabbed:
Raj Singh (Ballia, Uttar Pradesh) picked up from Ayodhya where he had reportedly gone into hiding.
Mayank Raj Mishra and Vicky Maurya (both from Buxar, Bihar).
The trio was formally arrested by Madhyamgram Police on May 11 and produced before Barasat court the same day. They were remanded to 13 days of police custody (until May 24), with additional charges for destruction of evidence. Police sources said at least eight people were part of the conspiracy including local facilitators for shelter, logistics, weapons, and reconnaissance. The contract was estimated at ₹30 – 40 lakh. Interrogation focused on the mastermind, the hirer, and the full interstate network spanning UP, Bihar, and possible Jharkhand links.
The Alibi Storm: My Raj Was Never in Kolkata
Almost immediately after the arrests, a powerful counter-narrative emerged from Ballia. Raj Singh’s mother, Jamvanti Devi (a Rasra post office employee), broke down in front of cameras, insisting her son is innocent. She claimed:
- On May 6 (the day of the murder), Raj was in Ballia shopping, at home, shops, and the gym. She pointed to home CCTV, local shop footage, and gym records as proof.
- On May 7, she, Raj, and four others (including a friend and driver) travelled together to Lucknow for the wedding of the daughter of MLC Ravishankar Singh (Pappu Singh).
- The group later visited Ayodhya for darshan before police arrested Raj while they were returning.
Jamvanti Devi demanded a CBI probe and said she has a lot of proofs including the fact that she herself was briefly detained during the Ayodhya pickup. Family members echoed that Raj never visited Kolkata. Raj Singh, who styles himself as state general secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha and harbours political ambitions (he had eyed the Chilkar block chief post under Mission 2026), has a past criminal record in Ballia, including a prior murder case where illegal pistols were recovered. Yet his mother and supporters insist the evidence against him is fabricated. Police, however, relied on the UPI toll data, toll booth CCTV, technical surveillance, and leads from co-accused to proceed with the arrest.
The alibi has now become the biggest talking point. Home CCTV can be challenged in court, but if phone location data, marriage guest lists and presence(on 7th May), or independent witnesses corroborate the family’s timeline, the case against Raj Singh could face serious hurdles.
The precise tracking and verification of Raj Singh’s whereabouts from the afternoon of May 5 (or May 6 morning) to the morning of May 7 will be crucial in Chandranath Rath Murder case.
May 12, 2026: CBI Steps In
In a significant escalation, the West Bengal government recommended handing over the Chandranath Rath Murder case to a central agency. Today, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) formally took charge. A dedicated 7-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by DIG-rank officer Pankaj Kumar Singh (under the supervision of the Joint Director, Kolkata Zone), has been formed. The CBI has registered its own FIR and will build on the state SIT’s groundwork: the arrests, vehicles, ballistics, and digital trails while independently verifying every lead, including the alibi claims.
The focus remains on uncovering the remaining conspirators, the local support network in Bengal, the exact motive, and most critically who paid for the hit.
The Chandranath Rath murder has exposed the dark underbelly of contract killings intersecting with politics in West Bengal. What began as a brutal roadside ambush has now become a high-stakes national investigation. With the CBI at the helm, every piece of evidence from cloned OLX plates to family CCTV will be tested under the harshest scrutiny. For now, the mastermind remains at large, the full story is still unfolding, and an entire state waits for answers.
