CBI charges two BJP workers in murder of Suvendu Adhikari's aide
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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has named two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers among 11 accused in its chargesheet filed in connection with the murder of Chandranath Rath, an aide to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
The two BJP workers are brothers Sagar Sonkar and Sahib Sonkar, who were arrested on August 1.
The CBI has alleged that Sagar Sonkar, who had earlier worked with Rath, was one of the key conspirators in the murder. The agency claimed he arranged and financed the killing by hiring shooters from Uttar Pradesh.
The CBI also alleged that Sagar Sonkar worked for an MLA from a rival political party until 2020 before joining the BJP.
Rath was shot dead near Kolkata on May 6, two days after the West Bengal Assembly election results were declared. Adhikari, who became Chief Minister on May 9, was not present at the time of the attack. He has described the incident as a "pre-planned murder".
The CBI took over the investigation on May 12 and has since arrested 11 persons.
Those arrested include six alleged contract killers identified as Sonu Singh, Raj Singh, Golu Singh, Mayank Raj Mishra, Vickey Maurya and Naveen Kumar Singh. The agency has also arrested three alleged middlemen, Vinay Rai, Sanjay Rai and Vikas Mishra. One suspect remains absconding.
Rath had been associated with Adhikari since 2018 and handled political coordination and organisational work. He later became Adhikari's executive assistant after he assumed the post of Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal.
Following the killing, the Trinamool Congress condemned the incident and called for a court-monitored CBI investigation, while also alleging that BJP-backed miscreants were involved in post-poll violence in the state.