Kolkata, 20 May (H.S.) : The investigation into the murder of Chandranath Rath, a close aide of Suvendu Adhikari, intensified further after the Central Bureau of Investigation arrested a fifth accused from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

Officials said the accused, identified as Vinay Rai alias Pumpum Rai, was taken into custody on Tuesday, a day after the arrest of another suspect linked to the murder case. The 40-year-old businessman originally hails from the Zamani area of Ghazipur district but had been residing in Varanasi for the past several years, where he was reportedly involved in property dealing.

According to officials, a CBI team produced Vinay Rai before a local court in Varanasi and secured a two-day transit remand before taking him to Kolkata for further interrogation. A senior police official confirmed that the accused was detained near the Reserve Police Lines area following intelligence inputs and evidence allegedly linking him to the murder conspiracy.

The agency also completed all mandatory legal formalities, including registration of the arrest at the Cantonment police station and a medical examination before presenting him before the court.

The murder investigation, which was initially handled by the West Bengal Police, was later transferred to the CBI. The central agency has registered a case under multiple sections related to murder and criminal conspiracy.

Earlier, three accused — Mayank Raj Mishra and Vicky Maurya from Bihar’s Buxar district, along with Raj Singh from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh — had been arrested in connection with the case. Investigators suspect that the trio were hired assailants brought in from outside the state to execute the killing. However, the identity of the mastermind behind the murder and the motive remain under investigation.

On Tuesday, the CBI had also arrested another suspect, identified as Raj Kumar Singh, from Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh. Investigators alleged that he was attempting to flee to another state, possibly Uttarakhand, when he was apprehended with assistance from the Uttar Pradesh Police.

Family members of Raj Kumar Singh reportedly claimed they had no knowledge of his alleged involvement in the crime or any association with co-accused Raj Singh.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh