The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday arrested two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers who allegedly planned the murder of Chandranath Rath, personal assistant of Suvendu Adhikari, officials said.
A senior official said that the two accused, Sagar Sonkar and Saheb Sonkar, are brothers. They used to work in Rath’s team.
Rath was shot dead on May 6, three days before Adhikari took the oath as the chief minister of West Bengal. The results of the state legislative assembly were declared on May 4.
“Two persons Sagar Sonkar and Saheb Sonkar have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the crime. They had planned the murder starting from arranging the shooters, providing logistics and even helping in conducting the recce,” a CBI official told HT.
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{{/usCountry}}Also Read | 'Me defeating Mamata, him being my aide': Suvendu Adhikari lists reasons for PA Chandranath Rath's murder
{{/usCountry}}The CBI had earlier arrested nine persons. Some of the accused were arrested from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
“The two were BJP workers and used to work in Rath’s team. Preliminary investigation revealed that they were also in touch with a rival political party. Further investigation is going on,” said a CBI official.
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On the night of May 6, Rath was shot dead at Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas, when he was on his way back home in an SUV.