CBI Arrests 2, Probes 'Political Angle' In Murder Of Suvendu Adhikari's Aide

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two more men in connection with the murder of Chandranath Rath, executive assistant to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The agency alleges that the murder was a contract killing with possible political links.Rath was shot dead at Madhyamgram in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on the evening of May 6 while he was returning home. The killing took place two days after the declaration of the West Bengal Assembly election results, which saw the BJP secure a landslide victory, ending the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government's 15-year tenure from 2011 to 2026.The two accused, brothers Sagar Sonkar and Sahib Sonkar, were produced before a special CBI court in Kolkata on Friday. The court remanded both men to seven days in CBI custody.The agency has not disclosed where or when the two were arrested. Officials have also declined to elaborate on their political affiliations while confirming that both had, at one stage, been associated with the Trinamool Congress, the party that governed West Bengal before losing power in the 2026 Assembly elections.According to investigators, both brothers had previously worked with Rath.The CBI alleges that Sagar Sonkar played a key role in coordinating the conspiracy. Investigators claim he remained in contact with individuals linked to a political party office, primarily through landline calls. Officials say call detail records (CDRs) recovered during the investigation show multiple such communications.The agency further alleges that Sagar acted as an intermediary between those who planned the murder and the alleged shooters, arranging funds for what investigators describe as a contract killing.According to sources, although the brothers had earlier been associated with the Trinamool Congress, they officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) before the recent West Bengal Assembly election.The same sources said that the investigation indicates that the two men continued to remain in contact with several influential Trinamool leaders.The CBI says it is examining whether there was a political angle to the alleged conspiracy, including possible links between the plot and a leader of a state political party. The agency has not named any individual and says that aspect of the investigation remains under probe.Investigators believe the alleged conspiracy to kill Rath was first hatched in December 2025. According to the agency, the plan was postponed on several occasions before it was eventually carried out.The CBI is now attempting to establish why the alleged plot was repeatedly delayed. With the latest arrests, the total number of people taken into custody in the case has risen to 11. The agency says those arrested include six alleged shooters and five others accused of coordinating different aspects of the operation, including the two brothers arrested on Friday.