Suvendu Adhikari Alleges ‘Bhaipo Gang’ Funded ₹2 Crore For Killing Of His Personal Assistant

West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday alleged that a “Bhaipo gang” arranged ₹2 crore to facilitate the killing of his personal assistant Chandranath Rath, who was shot dead in the state in May. Adhikari made the allegation at a rally in Haldia while speaking about the murder investigation, which was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after authorities treated it as an inter-state crime. He said seven people had been arrested in connection with the case and claimed that call records could establish links between people from Diamond Harbour and those who allegedly handed over money to contract killers.

Adhikari alleged that the murder involved a payment of ₹2 crore and said the money had been arranged by what he described as the “Bhaipo gang”, using the Bengali word for nephew. However, he did not name any individual while making the allegation. “As it was an inter-state crime, the state government handed over the probe to the CBI. Seven persons have been arrested. As far as I know, ₹2 crore was spent to murder him. The ‘Bhaipo gang’ arranged the funds,” Adhikari said. He added that he would not disclose further details because doing so could affect the investigation.

The BJP leader also claimed that investigators had access to call records involving individuals from Diamond Harbour who allegedly handed money to the contract killers. His comments, however, are allegations and the claims about the funding and the alleged involvement of people from Diamond Harbour have not been established as facts through a court finding. The CBI investigation is continuing, and the arrests made in the case do not by themselves establish guilt. The exact circumstances surrounding Rath's killing, including who allegedly ordered or financed the murder and the motive behind it, remain subject to investigation and judicial proceedings.

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The reference to the “Bhaipo gang” has a clear political context in West Bengal. Although Adhikari did not name anyone, BJP leaders have frequently used the term “Bhaipo” during political campaigns to refer to Abhishek Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress MP from Diamond Harbour and nephew of former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Adhikari's remarks therefore carry a political dimension, particularly because they were made while addressing a public rally and involved allegations against an unidentified group that he linked to Diamond Harbour. No direct accusation against Abhishek Banerjee was made in the quoted remarks.

Rath, Adhikari's personal assistant, was shot dead in May, shortly after the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in West Bengal, according to Adhikari's account. The killing became politically significant because Rath worked closely with Adhikari, who was serving as the Leader of the Opposition in the state legislative assembly. Speaking at the Haldia rally, Adhikari suggested that Rath's association with him could have been the reason he was targeted. “The manner in which Chandranath was brutally murdered, I feel that his biggest crime was that he was assisting the Leader of the Opposition,” Adhikari said.

Adhikari argued that Rath may have been targeted because of his work with him rather than because of any personal wrongdoing. “That’s why he was eliminated,” he said, presenting his assessment of the possible motive behind the killing. The statement reflects Adhikari's interpretation of the case, rather than a conclusion announced by investigators. The CBI's probe will have to establish whether the murder was connected to Rath's association with the opposition leader and whether the alleged payment and individuals referred to by Adhikari were involved.

The investigation has already resulted in seven arrests, according to Adhikari, while the CBI continues to examine the circumstances of the murder. The transfer of the case to the central agency followed the state's description of it as an inter-state crime. Adhikari's latest remarks are likely to intensify the political debate around the killing, particularly because of his reference to the “Bhaipo gang” and Diamond Harbour. However, the allegations surrounding the alleged ₹2 crore payment, the identity of those who allegedly arranged the funds and the role of any political figures remain matters for investigators and the courts to determine. Until the investigation establishes responsibility, the claims made by Adhikari remain allegations and should not be treated as proof of involvement by any individual or group.

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