The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has formed a seven-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by a Deputy Inspector General (DIG)-rank officer to probe the murder of Chandranath Rath, an aide of West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, officials familiar with the development said on Tuesday.The federal agency has already taken over the case after registering its own FIR based on the one originally filed by West Bengal Police. Officials said the SIT is currently in the process of formally assuming charge from the state police and is reviewing all case-related documents, evidence, and procedural records collected so far.

The investigation team is being headed by DIG Pankaj Kumar Singh and comprises officers drawn from multiple specialised units of the CBI. According to officials, the team includes experienced investigators tasked with examining both the murder angle and possible wider conspiracy, including suspected inter-state links connected to the crime.As part of the investigation, the SIT has also taken custody of three accused individuals — Mayank Raj Mishra and Vicky Maurya from Bihar, and Raj Singh from Uttar Pradesh.

Authorities suspect that the case may involve coordinated planning across state boundaries, prompting a deeper multi-state probe.Officials further stated that Raj Singh is believed to have a criminal background and is allegedly linked to multiple murder cases in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. He is suspected to be a key figure in the alleged contract killing aspect of the case, although investigators are still verifying his exact role.

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CBI sources confirmed that the SIT is operating under the supervision of senior officials and will report to the agency’s joint director based in Kolkata. The formation of the specialised team is aimed at ensuring a focused and coordinated investigation into what officials describe as a complex and potentially multi-layered murder case.The probe is ongoing, and further arrests and revelations are expected as investigators continue to interrogate suspects and analyse evidence gathered from multiple states.

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